Londoners challenged by BT to Live by the Book for five days in a perspex box

The search is on for two Londoners to “Live by the Book” in a Big Brother-style public contest that begins on December 6 in Covent Garden.

The chosen two will swap their homes for five days to live in a two and a half metre square perspex box for The Phone Book from BT’s “Living by the Book” charity challenge.

Wearing only a sweatshirt and trousers, and armed with The Phone Book from BT, a small budget and a phone, the two will compete against each other in a series of daily tasks for themselves, 95.8 Capital FM radio listeners and the charity Help a London Child.

Using their best negotiating skills, the contestants must complete all the tasks set for them and obtain any product or service they need without spending a penny - from finding clothes and food to getting plumbers and Christmas decorations for a local school. The contenders will have their every move scrutinised by the public and 95.8 Capital FM’s DJs, including Johnny Vaughan and Neil Fox.

The London challenge is the climax to a string of events that have taken place in nine other cities in across Great Britain from Bristol to Glasgow. BT says London’s Living by the Book event will be the biggest and most exciting yet.

On the final day it will turn into a celebrity challenge when two mystery stars will be getting involved live in the box.

The two contestants will be able to choose from the wide range of local essential and lifestyle services contained within their new three-in-one Phone Book from BT to complete their challenges. The Phone Book is the only local directory which includes classified listings in the same place as A to Z business and residential numbers.

In the lead up to the event, applicants will be interviewed at a London venue by a Pop Idol style panel, comprising representatives from BT, a station DJ and a leading psychologist. The two lucky contestants will enter the box on Tuesday December 6.

They will have five days to impress the public with their resourcefulness and personality before 95.8 Capital FM radio listeners vote to decide the winner by text and online during the grand finale during Foxy’s drivetime show, 4pm to 7pm on Friday December 10.

The winner will walk away with £10,000 as well as all the items he or she has obtained during their time in the box. The loser’s goods will be donated to the Help a London Child charity.

Budding contestants who are hungry for fame and fortune or just fancy doing something different with their week should listen to 95.8 Capital FM or visit www.capitalfm.com/phonebook for details on how to enter the challenge.

Applicants will be asked to provide their name, address, age, occupation, daytime phone number and the reason why they deserve to be in The Phone Book’s Living by the Book challenge between December 6 and 10, 2004.

Fiona Leech, senior marketing manager for The Phone Book from BT, said: “The Living by the Book challenge is a once in a lifetime opportunity for people in London to do something completely different that helps the local community. The challenge is on for contenders to experience the benefits of The Phone Book from BT for themselves plus have a week of fame in the public spotlight!”

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