Housemate Zak was in Line for stardom

Jewish Telegraph, July 2007

THE first male to enter the Big Brother house is a proud Jew who celebrates Christmas and doesn’t know the difference between a mezzuzah and menorah.
Zachary Lichman, 26, made his grand entrance on Friday night sending the majority of the 11 women inside into a tizzy.
The Arsenal fan — who now goes by the name of Ziggy — should be used to being in the spotlight. In the late 1990s he was a member of boy band Northern Line who had three hits.
Their first, Run for your Life, reached number 18 in October 1999. They followed this with Love on the Northern Line and All Around The World in 2000 which reached 15 and 27, respectively.
The Jewish Telegraph spoke to Zak, as he was known in the band, in August 1999.
He revealed to us then how he had been selected to represent Britain in either golf or football at the European Maccabi Games in Stirling, but he had to turn down the offer due to the band.
At the time, he played football for Highgate and Muswell Hill in the Maccabi Southern League andhad a golf handicap of nine.
Last year he was goalkeeper for Jewish team Southgate Harmen.
The former Haberdashers pupil was a member of youth group Hanoar Hatzioni. But Northern Line commitments ended his hopes of leading members on an Israel trip.
He told us: “I love Hanoar. I made friends all over the country through it. I love Israel and I was quite upset that I could not go on the Hanoar tour.”
Northern Line were put together by talent agent Ashley Tabor. He spotted Zak — who plays the piano and drums — after a modelling show.
Zak, who attended Hendon Reform Synagogue, told us that he would never work on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
“Having a Jewish manager means he will understand about me not wanting to perform on those days,” he said.
“I always like to spend Yom Kippur with my family. I still fast but I have to eat a lot before and take energy tablets if we are due to perform after Yom Kippur goes out.”
Big Brother had another surprise for Zak — a former boyfriend of ex-Hear’say singer Suzanne Shaw — when he arrived in the house.
He was the only housemate allowed to nominate other contestants for eviction, leading to a number of the girls flirting with him.
On Tuesday, Zak nominated Shabnam Paryani and Emily Parr for eviction. But public voting was cancelled on Thursday when Emily was kicked out of the house for making a racial slur to Charley.
Zak’s Judaism came up in a conversation in the garden on Sunday afternoon.
After Zak — who lives near Totteridge, north west London — revealed his religion, Welsh girl Laura Williams said: “You are really Jewish? We can have a cu, a cu . . .” Zak laughed: “Be careful.”
Another housemate chipped in with “a barmitzvah?” but Ziggy said: “A cup of chicken soup.”
Laura then said: “You’re not really Jewish.”
Zak replied: “I’m Jewish I promise you. It’s not something I lie about really. I don’t get extra points or lose any points.”
Posh Spice-wannabe Chanelle Hayes asked: “Does that mean you have to marry a Jewish girl?”
He said: “It doesn’t, no. My parents are pretty, pretty . . . they are unorthodox. I practice the days I’m meant to practice which is like about three days a year.”
Shabham Paryani asked: “Do you ever wear the hat?”
Zak answered: “No, that’s Orthodox as well. I don’t speak Hebrew and I hardly ever do much. I believe in it and practice it three times a year. And that’s it. I just go to the days I have to go to. But I’m proud to be Jewish.”
Chanelle — who Zak has admitted to fancying — wasn’t finished yet. She asked: “Is it Jewish who have got those candles? What are those candles called again.”
Zak blundered: “That’s the mezzuzah. No it’s not, the mezzuzah is up on your wall, isn’t it?” Chanelle butted in: “We used to have to draw them at school.”
Zak continued: “That’s Chanucah.”
He then told Chanelle that he celebrated Christmas.
Later, while Zak was wining and dining one housemate at a time, Lesley Brain was discussing a future romance between Zak and Chanelle with housemates including Emily and Carol Vincent, 53.
The 60-year-old said: “He likes her but it’s a no-go. A nice Jewish boy wants a nice Jewish girl.”
Emily, 19, caused ripples of laughter by claiming: “I’m Jewish.”
Lesley continued: “His mummy will want a Jewish girl . . . or a professional. Jewish mothers are willing to overlook the girl not being Jewish if she is professional.”
The wining and dining task saw Zak tuck into treats of ham with asparagus and a prawn cocktail.
Despite reports in the national press about Zak wanting to ‘bed’ four of the girls, he told fellow housemates that there was no way he would embarrass his parents by doing anything sexual in the house. He also slammed Emily for making Chanelle sound like a ‘slut’ for sharing his bed with him.
The only other Jewish Big Brother contestant has been Justine Sellman of Leeds who appeared in the 2003 series.
In the sixth series in 2005, black contestant Kieron ‘Science’ Harvey, also of Leeds, claimed to be Jewish.