A DANCER from Leyton who has appeared in more than 20 pop videos is a contestant in the new Big Brother series.

Latoya Satnarine, 19, is competing in Big Brother Celebrity Hijack, which is being screened on E4 for the next few weeks.

Street dancer Miss Satnarine, known as Toya to friends, has appeared in videos for artists including Madonna, Jamelia and Craig David.

She was booked as a concert dancer for Mariah Carey, and was nominated as best female in the national Dance Off awards last year.

A former pupil of George Mitchell School, Leyton, Miss Satnarine started dancing at an early age.

She became involved with local groups, including Waltham Forest Young Writers and Performers (Ladders) and Estate of the Arts, before teaching street dance techniques at Leyton-based Kreative Culture Klub (KCK), which engages young, particularly black people, in positive activities.

She currently dances for the Boy Blue Entertainment dance troupe and co-runs a dance group called Instrum8.

KCK founder, Yvonne Bailey, said: "Latoya is a very outgoing and vivacious person. She is very individualistic and always tries to bring different things to lessons that she teaches. Young people respect her."

Bismark Amobah, 22, has known Latoya for nine years, dancing alongside her at Ladders and KCK.

He said: "Latoya is a talented, warm person who is really friendly to be around.

"She is on the show to show off her talent and to inspire people, I hope she does well."

Big Brother Celebrity Hijack differs from Celebrity Big Brother in that the contestants are people with particular talents, rather than fame-hungry non-entities.

But in its first week the show only attracted just over three million viewers - half the number which tuned in to watch the launch of 2007 Celebrity Big Brother.

Celebrities are playing the role of Big Brother, setting the contestants tasks and punishing them if necessary.

It is the second time in seven months that a Waltham Forest resident has appeared in a Big Brother show.

Political activist Carole Vincent, of Leytonstone, reached the final of the main Big Brother show last summer, eventually finishing fifth.

l For more about Big Brother Celebrity Hijack, including all the latest news and to find out the latest famous face in charge, visit www.channel4.com/ bigbrother/