Nikki Grahame: Paying Tribute to the Star on Her 40th Birthday
(Image/ Source: metro.co.uk)
When the news broke that Nikki Grahame had passed away, we were devastated. She was one of our all-time favourite Big Brother contestants, and will go down in TV history as one of the best reality show stars of our time.
If she wasn’t ranting in the diary room, she’d be entertaining us with her iconic takes on reality TV life, or chatting candidly about her lifelong battle with anorexia.
Let’s look back at Nikki’s career on what would have been her 40th birthday.
Nikki Grahame Tributes
Earlier this week, many of Nikki’s co-stars paid tribute to the reality star on what would have been her 40th birthday.
She passed away in April 2021 after battling anorexia since childhood.
Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace wrote:
“Happy 40th birthday darling… we have all lost you, we all loved you, I will forever help your memory live on, I love you Nikki 🌹❤️ RIP”.
“Happy heavenly birthday to my NIK 💝today is your 40th!!! Such a special day for a special lady 💓 We had big plans I hope you are carrying them out up there! You are loved, missed and remembered 💗 ALWAYS 💞💞💞💞.”
(Image/ Source: Imogen’s Instagram, imogen_thomas)
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Meanwhile, Nikki’s ex-boyfriend Pete Bennett also paid tribute to the star.
“Happy 40th birthday in heaven #nikkigrahame x💋x @nikkigrahameofficial 💖.”
Career
Nikki Grahame shot to fame after starring in the 2006 series of Big Brother and became renowned for her tantrums- making her an instant reality TV icon.
After bagging herself a boyfriend in the form of the series winner Pete Bennett, Nikki’s TV career soared.
She made appearances in absolutely everything from The Friday Night Project to Celebrity Soup, and hosted her own spin-off reality show called Princess Nikki.
(Image/ Source: inews.co.uk)
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Her success on Big Brother was so great that she was brought back to star in Ultimate Big Brother in 2010, as well as Big Brother Canada in 2016.
And it was clear just how much the reality show meant to Nikki.
Speaking at the time of the last series, the reality starlet said:
“There is something about this house where nothing else matters.
Big Brother has played such a huge part in my life, it changed my life for the better. I don’t have one regret, not one. It will always have a place in my heart.
Thank you Big Brother for everything. Literally, everything.”
Anorexia
Nikki’s battle with anorexia started when she was just 8 years old after her classmates mocked her appearance.
The star’s parents were also going through a divorce, and her grandad then passed away.
From this point onwards, Nikki struggled with her anorexia. She had experienced such severe episodes of the eating disorder that the star had to stay on force-feeding tubes in hospital.
She’d also made frequent suicide attempts from the age of 12.
(Image/ Source: mirror.co.uk)
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In March 2021, the star’s family announced that she had relapsed once again. They quickly started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for private treatment for Nikki after she had “exhausted every avenue possible” with her NHS treatment.
But unfortunately, Nikki Grahame died less than a month after receiving private care for her anorexia. She was 38 years of age.
Nikki’s mum Sue has opened up about her heartbreak at losing Nikki, and claimed her daughter shouldn’t have been discharged from hospital.
“I was there for two weeks with Nikki. Each day, I told the nurses she couldn’t go home.”
Sue alleged that her daughter had collapsed in front of nurses just two days before she was sent back to her North London home.
She is now considering taking legal action against the hospital.
