How many hands do you wave with?

Last night I was watching Celebrity Big Brother (shhhh don’t tell anyone cool and interesting that I watch quality TV) and I became intrigued by the two-handed wave that one of the celebrities gave the crowd as she walked into the house of doom. I thought, I’ve seen this wave before but what does it mean and where did it come from?

The best of British TV in August

Later on, in the usual place, I pondered: since when have we been waving like that? Why use two hands when one is sufficient? Was the Big Brother celebrity trying to make sure nobody missed her exit from the real world by using two hands? Was she trying to look more attractive and feminine (it does seem to be a choice of wave of females rather than males)? Was she subconsciously imitating a child’s wave with the hope of appearing younger and more innocent than she is to win popularity with the public? Or perhaps she wanted to appear pope-like?

The two-handed wave is popular with this celebrity

Or is she just weird?

Children like to wave with two hands – I’m sure decent scientists know why

So earlier today I googled ‘two handed wave’ and was extremely disappointed at the results. There is very little out there about waving with one hand let alone two. I found this but it doesn’t help me at all with my query. According to the Internet, the two-handed wave is apparently:

Usually seen in a huge crowd of people, which makes it easier to avoid, although sometimes the best route is to acknowledge said person to ease the secondhand embarrassment. Also seen in stressed out mothers with 5+ kids.

Or if you believe the Urban Dictionary it means:

The act of waving with both hands by creating a groping motion, commonly to a sexually arousing woman.

I don’t think that is relevant in this case.

I also found some guidance on how to wave, but this doesn’t help me either.

None of this explains random celebrity in Big Brother’s choice of wave motion and the other people I’ve seen wave like this (people I can’t remember the names of now).

So my weird thought goes unanswered.