Pamela Pamela

Boob or bust?
Firm who gave Big Brother Orlaith her 'babies' had big set of debts... but say everything's perky now!

By Ciaran McGuigan
24 July 2005

THE firm that gave Big Brother's Orlaith her Big Boobs last night denied it was on the verge of going BUST.

For while Belfast-born Orlaith has been flaunting her pert assets on the TV, Dublin based Advanced Cosmetic Surgery Ltd's most recent published accounts reveal a big and droopy set of debts of over €2m.

But last night ACS boss Halina Ashdown Shiels said the firm's business was now perky and profitable and this would be reflected in new accounts, to be published later this year.

And, incredibly, the management of cosmetic surgery firm has blamed the 9/11 terror attacks for the business running into difficulties.

The firm has been cashing in on Orlaith McAllister's television exposure.

As the surgically-enhanced model has paraded what she calls "her babies" around the Big Brother house, ACS has been boasting about being inundated with calls from women who want similar breast implants.

But ACS's auditors warned in November 2004 that the company, which has had to pay out hundreds of thousands of euros to settle malpractice claims, was in danger of going pear-shaped.

However, ACS Managing Director Halina Ashdown Shiels dismissed claims that the business was in financial difficulty.

Bizarrely, she blamed the Twin Tower terror attacks for the company's debts spiralling to over €2m.

According to papers held by the Companies Registration Office in Dublin, ACS had debts of over €2m (around £1.4m) when its last accounts, for the year to December 2003, were filed.

Auditors warned that they may need the support of creditors, to whom they already owed over £1.7m, in order to carry out the day-to-day running of the business.

And they had to pay out around £260,000 in malpractice claims over two-and-a-half years.

Another whopping £117,000 was paid out in a settlement in a business dispute.

Halina Ashdown Shiels told Sunday Life: "The years mentioned were poor trading years and the auditor was justified in what he said at the time.

"In the wake of September 11th 2001, the cosmetic surgery industry, including Advanced Cosmetic Surgery, hit hard times.

"A lot of money was spent trying to jump start the business and it took until the summer of 2003 to start reaping the benefits.

"ACS returned to profitability at that time and we have continued to trade profitably from then up until now and the forecast looks even better. This will be reflected in the company accounts that will be filed shortly."

She added: "The reference to amounts for malpractice claims also covers legal costs, which we all know are guaranteed to be extensive regardless of the size of the claim.

"These complaints reflect far less than 1% of the thousands of procedures that are done each year."

cmcguigan@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

BIG BROTHER VI : SHELL: THE BIG VERDICT

TEARS and tantrums this week, with a failed doggy task and Orlaith desperate to get out the house. Methinks she doth protest too much Eugene Sully, 27 - Odds 8/1 I'm wondering if we are ever going to get the stage where he stops telling longwinded stories and unleashes the crazy person I just know he has in him Craig Coates, 20 - Odds 10/1 His tears this week have been caused by the lack of affection he is getting from his object d'amour Anthony. Poor Craig seems oblivious to his stalker-ish obsession. Makosi Musambasi, 24 - Odds 5/1 'She's venom, she's poison, she's devilish, I hate her.' Craig's analysis seems to be the general consensus these days.

Orlaith McAllister, 26 - Odds 25/1 Orlaith has been saying she's desperate to leave, and I think she should have her wish fulfilled soon enough.

Kemal Shahin, 19 - Odds 10/1 Nominated by 'bestest friend' Makosi as revenge for his nomination of her. His paranoia about her as the mole has become crazy. Anthony Hutton, 23 - Odds 8/11 He has emerged as the most level headed housemate, refereeing arguments. If Derek wasn't in the house, I'd be rooting for Anthony Derek Laud, 40 - Odds 8/1 He has been my out and out favourite for a long while now and his 'training' of Makosi in the dog task has been hilarious.Vote Derek for winner is all I can say