BB babe Jo gets called to the bar
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Genevieve Meegan
535 words
11 January 2004
Sunday Mail
1 - State
111
English
(c) 2004 Advertiser Newspapers Limited
Why she's single and pulling beers
YOU have to wonder what a qualified lawyer with a celebrity profile
like former Big Brother housemate Jo Ashton is doing pulling beers
at a pub.
Since December, Jo has been working part-time behind the bar at the
recently revamped Caledonian Hotel, North Adelaide, but she swears
it's not because she's broke or can't get another job, as has been
rumoured.
With a TV career looming - but not quite in the bag - Jo says bar
work suits her schedule. And, besides, she's mates with the Cally's
manager, Richard Fogarty.
"I have to go interstate a lot (to line up the TV work) and no law
firm is going to entertain someone that says I'm off to Sydney
tomorrow and I won't be back for a few days," she says.
"I've been back in Adelaide since Christmas and I was driving myself
crazy at home on my own all day. It gives me something to do, so
I'll ring Rich and say `do you need me'. But I probably spend more
time chatting to the customers than actually serving drinks."
Being hit on is a job hazard.
"Some really friendly guys come in here but once they've had a few
drinks some times I think `thank God, I'm on the other side of the
bar'," she says.
"A few ask for my number but I don't give that out. If they keep
really hassling me I will give them a fake one. But most of them are
fine."
Jo has been single since she split with Adelaide guy Tim McEntee,
not long after she was evicted from the Big Brother house.
"When I got out, I was not very grounded and I made decisions that I
hadn't processed properly. It took me four months to realise what
I'd done," she says.
"I regret breaking up with Tim now. He's just so gorgeous and he was
in my life for seven years. But you make your bed and you have to
sleep in it."
The two remain friends, but Jo admits there is no hope of
reconciliation.
"He's moved on and it's not fair to rekindle it," she says.
"Besides, he plans to go overseas in April and I will be leaving
Adelaide. But then again, you never know."
While Tim is still single, Jo revealed he recently had a date with
former SA Lotto girl and swimsuit model, Nikki Visser.
Jo is confident her TV gig will get up and she'll be moving,
probably to Sydney, soon. "I'm doing lots of charity work and some
appearances, but I just need something more permanent locked in,"
she says.
For the record
* SHE never got horizontal with BB house-mate Saxon.
* SHE made serious money from appearances once she was out of the BB
house - and she hasn't blown it all.
* SHE only recently watched a tape of the show, including the
infamous night of house-mate Patrick's birthday, and had to
ask: "Did I really do that?"