In a tragic news, former Big Brother contestant Nikki Grahame died of complications from anorexia at the age of 38. Nikki had been struggling with the eating disorder for years. Her family recently started a GoFundMe page asking friends to support the reality star, with her mother appearing on This Morning earlier this month to discuss her condition. News of her death was announced on the same GoFundMe page on Saturday (10 April).“It is with great sadness, we have to let you know that our dear friend Nikki passed away in the early hours of Friday 9th April,” a statement read. “It breaks our hearts to know that someone who is so precious was taken from us at such a young age,” it continued. “Nikki not only touched the lives of millions of people, but also her friends and family who will miss her immensely.”
The page’s admin, Leon Dee, asked for “privacy at this difficult time while Nikki’s friends and family process the sad news”. Grahame appeared on the seventh series of Big Brother, which aired on Channel 4 in 2006. She gained popularity for her frequent temper tantrums and relationship with eventual winner, Pete Bennett. The reality star came fifth and, in 2010, was selected to appear in Ultimate Big Brother, which featured the series’ most famous contestants from its 10-year history. She finished in second place. Her popularity on the show saw her given her own series, titled Princess Nikki, which saw her attempt several unlikely jobs, including deep sea fishing and mountain rescuing. Former Big Brother host Davina McCall tweeted she was “so desperately sad to hear” the news. She said Grahame was “The funniest, most bubbly [and] sweetest girl. My thoughts are with her friends and family.”