THE Lancashire grandmother knocked out of the running for a place in the Big Brother house has told how a university course in Preston helped in her bid for fame .

Mum-of-two Anne Edgar succeeded where thousands failed after making it as a finalist on the hit Channel 4 television show -- even though she had never watched the fly-on-the-wall programme.

But at the weekend, from a secret location in Portugal, Anne watched the show via a live video link and saw her bid crumble.

Viewers voted for young rival Josh to be the new housemate.

Anne, from Barrowford, near Burnley, puts her ability to get through the gruelling Big Brother test down to a course she completed at Preston Polytechnic, now the University of Central Lancashire.

The short business course covered everything from sales to advertising and gave Anne the confidence to set up her own business -- and apply for Big Brother.

"I am so glad I took the course at Preston. It was a real boost and gave me more time with my children." Anne said.

After a job in sales, Anne now runs Harlequin Workshop selling clubwear with Helen, a job she would have had to leave behind if she had been voted into the house. She said: "People expect me to be gutted, but I'm not. I'm 45 and a grandma. I was selected out of 50,000 applicants and am so proud."

Had the young-at-heart gran had made it into the Big Brother house she would have been the oldest resident in the show's two series history.

And from the start of the show's application process Anne and her 25-year-old daughter Helen, who got knocked out in the first round of auditions, has had to keep the confidence level high in order to get through nine auditions.

Anne added: "I don't mind losing to Josh at all. He was absolutely lovely. I had a fabulous time in Portugal. It was like a free holiday, which isn't a bad consolation prize at all."