Big Brother star Nikki Grahame's life remembered in documentary
Note: This article contains discussion of eating disorders which some readers may prefer to avoid.
Channel 4 has aired a heartbreaking, crucial documentary celebrating the life of Nikki Grahame, one of the most popular contestants in the history of Big Brother UK.
Nikki Grahame: Who Is She? was on tonight (April 7), a year after Grahame passed away at age 38 due to complications of anorexia nervosa.
The documentary featured interviews with Nikki's mum Susan and friend Carly Cunningham, as well as presenter Dermot O'Leary who described her as "dynamite". Who Is She? included archival footage of Nikki on her reality TV stints and in sessions with her therapist Mandy Saligari.
Related: Big Brother star Nikki Grahame dies, aged 38
The reality TV personality – who starred on her own show, Princess Nikki, in 2006 – battled anorexia from an early age and was hospitalised several times.
In 2006, she took part in the seventh season of Big Brother, making an iconic entrance rocking a pink bunny outfit and finishing in fifth place. The same year, she won a National Television Award for Most Popular TV Contender, one of the happiest moments in her career, as her mother recalled it.
Nikki's mum also said being on Big Brother was "[Nikki's] dream" and had helped her cope with her eating disorder.
"It changed my life for the better," Nikki said of Big Brother in archival footage.
Related: Davina McCall and Rylan Clark-Neal unite with Big Brother stars to pay tribute to Nikki Grahame
Channel 4 viewers took to Twitter to remember Nikki and expressed their sorrow over her tragic death, with some saying the documentary was too hard to watch.
Watching the Channel 4 doc about Nikki she was great in BB a very sweet girl and so funny it’s so sad she is no longer here.
I often wonder if we hadn’t gone into lockdown would she still be here, isolation affected so many people.
God bless her. #nikkigrahame— Elaine 🕊 (@ElaineyP_) April 7, 2022
"Watching the Channel 4 doc about Nikki she was great in BB a very sweet girl and so funny it's so sad she is no longer here. I often wonder if we hadn't gone into lockdown would she still be here, isolation affected so many people," one fan wrote.
Don’t think my heart is ready for this documentary. Love seeing her big brother moments, what an icon she is #nikkigrahame
— Chris (@iamchrissharp) April 7, 2022
"Don't think my heart is ready for this documentary. Love seeing her big brother moments, what an icon she is," another person said.
Hope the #NikkiGrahame doc is a good one. I need to be a bit braver before I watch it, I know it's going to be a very sad experience.
— Ian Symes 🌹🇪🇺 (@ianiansymes) April 7, 2022
"Hope the #NikkiGrahame doc is a good one. I need to be a bit braver before I watch it, I know it's going to be a very sad experience," added one more.
Beat (www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk) is a charity which raises awareness and understanding of eating disorders, and supports those affected by them. Beat now has a one-to-one secure messaging service. Its phone helpline for those aged 18 and over is 0808 801 0677, and there's also a dedicated Youthline for those under 18 – 0808 801 0711.
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