THE housemate of the York man dubbed the filthiest person in Britain on national television has said "BO Barry" is not Too Posh To Wash.

Former call centre worker Barry Vardy, 23, was described as "a walking biohazard" when he appeared on the Channel 4 reality programme this week.

Presenters Kim Woodburn and Aggie Mackenzie winced in horror as tongue-in-cheek Barry told them his body was a self-cleaning ecosystem.

After a visit to a chiropodist to tackle his athlete's foot and an industrial strength shower, Barry disappeared from filming, leaving the "Queens of Clean" to claim he was the worst case that had encountered.

But Adam McCartney, who shares a home with Barry in The Knoll, Acomb, today said his housemate usually smelled sweetly, rather than sweaty.

Adam said: "He has some bad habits, don't get me wrong. But he is not worse than other single lads of his age.

"He does mess about with horses quite a bit and that can make him smell. He showers every morning and puts on a clean shirt when we go on a night out."

Adam and one of their housemates, Robbie Moor, nominated Barry as a joke, after they spotted an advert in a national newspaper looking for the nation's worst soap-dodgers.

A researcher from programme makers TalkbackThames contacted Barry and filming began in March.

Adam, 23, who has been friends with Barry since primary school, said: "He did stench a bit, but they had specifically told him not to get a bath. His friends were told what kind of thing to say and we played along."

He said Barry was not keen on presenters Kim and Aggie, which led to him pulling out of the show.

"They are quite rude, and they are not different off camera, but I think that is why people watch the show. They had been winding Barry up so much that he was giving as good as he got."

The programme was due to be aired last week, but Channel 4 bosses delayed it after Barry realised he would not come out of it smelling of roses.

"Barry regretted agreeing to do it," said Adam. "They would not show him the programme before it went out. I think he was concerned how it would look to potential girlfriends and other people."

Updated: 09:23 Friday, October 29, 2004