IT is by far the most fascinating and hardest-fought match so far.

The two Big Brother favourites are pitted against each other, head-to-head and the bookies tipping the eventual victor going all the way to the top prize only adds to the already great intensity involved.

Alex v Spencer - it's a clash of the titans indeed.

You can keep your Tyson v Lewis and your Elvis v JXL (not really a clash I know, but thought I'd give the letter writers something to do. And for me you definitely can keep Elvis v JXL. Preferably in a box marked 'do not open'.)

In the rich corner you have Alex Sibley, a 23-year-old male model and self-confessed hygiene freak. His constant whining earned him a place on the eviction list in the early stages, but fortunately the British public chose to throw larger-than-life Alison out of the house. Word is that she is now touting for business as a stand-in for TV chef Rusty Lee.

In the poor corner slopes Spencer Smith. The 22-year-old punt pilot from Cambridge is the epitome of cool, with his mean and moody persona. Up until this week Spencer had not received a single nomination, but his laid-back attitude (or lazy as some might say) has started to irritate his fellow housemates.

Unlike the other two series, Big Brother 3 has not had me hooked. The sheer audacity of seeing 10, then later 12, people cooped up in a house while cameras followed their every move disappeared after the first series, but the characters in Big Brother 2 still had me arranging my schedule around the television.

Helen was dim, but harmless, as was Paul, and their "will they won't they" romance rivalled any of the soaps . Bubble plied on the cheeky-chappy routine, while Dean led the house like an elder statesman.

This year's characters just don't have the same appeal.

Jade takes the place of Helen, but her stupidity and naiveness really has become annoying - just ask Adele. Sandy played out of the role of unofficial leader until he did a bunk, while Jonny's attempts to bring humour into the house stalled after just a couple of weeks.

Alex and Spencer are the only two worth watching and to have one of them go now is a major blow.

The voting is set to be close. I have yet to cast my vote - something on which I don't usually hesitate.

Alex provides great comedy value and I admire the way that he will not shirk from decisions.

Everyone thought he was going to invite PJ and Spencer over to the rich side when he won last week's task, but instead he left them to rot and fume. I can imagine he would be quite irritating to live with, but to watch others live with him he is pure TV gold.

Spencer, however, is also good TV. His attitude exerts a calming influence on a house, which can at times become too excitable - especially Jade. He doesn't suck up to Big Brother the way others do and has already notched up one official strike from producers. Keeping him in would provide a certain rebellious faction to the house.

The lines for voting close tonight, so I'll have to make my mind up soon. Either way we are going to lose a great contestant.

There was one other great clash today of course. But we all know how that one ended up, don't we?