Corey Worthington would be a big chance of winning Big Brother if he was allowed to stay in the house, according to a previous runner-up.
Tim Brunero, who finished second in the 2005 series and now appears on the weekly show Big Mouth, says the 17-year-old Melbourne boy has an advantage over other contestants.
"I'd say Corey's a definite chance to win if he stays in the house," Brunero told ninemsn.
"He'd go really far because he's got that recognition factor, which is the hardest thing to get on the show."
Corey is officially listed as an "intruder", and is tipped to exit the house on Tuesday.
He entered the compound on Sunday night, immediately appearing uncomfortable as he was greeted with a chorus of boos from the wild Gold Coast crowd.
But after overcoming his nervousness, he has since come out of his shell and grown quite close with a number of housemates.
He even had them in stitches with an impromptu Mr Bean impersonation.
On an official online poll, 10 percent of viewers have voted Corey as their favourite person in the house — making him the second most popular choice.
Meanwhile, a poll asking viewers 'Has your opinion of Corey changed?' is leaning towards 'Yes', with 55 percent of the vote.
And while his Big Brother appearance appears to have improved his public image, Brunero believes it may also better him as a young man on the verge of adulthood.
"It's given him exposure to people other than his 17-year-old mates," Brunero says.
"To hang around David, who's been a fireman, a policeman and been in a cult … or Saxon who's mad as a meat axe, or Alice the bossy boots veterinarian, it's a great experience for him."
Brunero also laughed off suggestions that Corey's television appearance was a form of "child abuse".
"We let kids take out car loans, we let them rack up debt on mobile phones, we let them take on apprenticeships where they earn $300 a week," he said.
"I think he can handle lying around in the sun on the Gold Coast while being well supervised."
Tim's Big Brother blog can be viewed here.
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