Big Brother’s Nadia Almada feels ‘failed’ by new series

Trans Big Brother legend Nadia Almada has called out the show’s new season for “failing” her.

The Portuguese reality TV star and winner of the fifth series of Big Brother UK has taken to her Instagram stories to call out the show’s new season for using Ryan’s insulting LGBTQ+ language for publicity. 

On Wednesday (9 October), Almada wrote: “Big Brother made an editorial decision to show Ryan making transgressive comments.

“The clip was pre-recorded – they likely had lots of footage to choose from, but that’s what they went for. 

“They did it to gain publicity for the show and use our outrage for clicks, views and votes. 

“[Big Brother UK] had the opportunity to educate Ryan, instead you’ve let him show himself up. 

“[Big Brother UK], dear friend and confidant, you have failed me, the #LGBTQIA community and society at large.

“This is 2024 not 2004,” she concluded.

Almada made history in 2004 when she became the first trans winner of Big Brother. 

Two decades on, the second season of ITV’s Big Brother reboot sees increased LGBTQ+ representation including “late-in-life lesbian” Ali, NHS administrator Martha, Walthamstow barber Dean and climate activist Daze who uses she/they pronouns.

However, amidst the queer housemates in the new series, contestant Ryan annoyed viewers with his introduction video in which he took aim at people he labelled “woke”.

“I think I’m strong, opinionated. There’s a lot of woke people out there,” Ryan said.

“It’s all well and good if you want to use certain pronouns, I get that. It gets a bit confusing sometimes when people are identifying as a spoon or whatnot.”

This isn’t the first time that Almada has spoken up about Big Brother, she’s regularly commented on the series since her first appearance. 

Last year, when trans contestant Hallie was evicted from the rebooted show, Almada shared she was worried for the young TV reality star.

“I worry for her, in the sense [that] even though she claims to be quite mature herself… I think she’s very emotionally immature as it stands,” explained Nadia, who was 27 when she won the show.

“I hope [Hallie] has a little bit more control and she communicates in a different, more adult language.

“That’s my only advice for her, to be a little bit wiser. Then again, she’s only 18. We need to give her [some] slack. I just hope she has all the right people around her.

“Her mum is very supportive and everything; I just hope she has the right people to guide her through it.”

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.