Nikki Grahame
Nikki Grahame | |
---|---|
Born | Nicola Rachele-Beth Grahame 28 April 1982 |
Died | 9 April 2021 Stanmore, London, England | (aged 38)
Cause of death | Anorexia nervosa |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 2003–2021 |
Height | 5 ft 1 in (155 cm) |
Nicola Rachele-Beth Grahame (28 April 1982 – 9 April 2021) was an English television personality and author. She was a contestant on the
Grahame suffered from anorexia nervosa throughout her life. She released the books Dying to Be Thin (2009) and Fragile (2012), both of which are based on her experiences with the illness. She died from anorexia nervosa complications on 9 April 2021, aged 38.[1]
Early life
Grahame was born on 28 April 1982 in Northwood, London, England.[2] She described her early childhood as the "happiest ever" but when she was eight, her parents divorced and her grandfather, to whom she was very close, died from cancer.[2] Grahame, who had been described as a "daddy's girl", was upset by her parents' divorce, after which she was raised by her mother Susan. Grahame attended Northwood School, London.[2]
Anorexia nervosa
Grahame developed an eating disorder that resulted in her parents having her admitted to the children's eating disorders unit at the Maudsley psychiatric hospital.[2] She was an in-patient for six weeks but after her release, she resumed under-eating and several months later, she was rushed to an emergency unit at Hillingdon Hospital, where she was force-fed through a nasal tube. She was then transferred to Collingham Gardens child and family psychiatric unit in west London, where her weight was increased. After eight months, she was allowed to return home.[2] For 18 months, Grahame remained at home and attended Northwood secondary school in Hillingdon, west London,[3] before she started losing weight again. She was readmitted to Collingham Gardens, where she stayed for six months, and was then taken to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she was placed on a psychiatric and eating disorders ward.[2]
Grahame refused to willingly accept treatment and commented; "I was on a mission to starve myself to death ... I was obsessed".[4] This culminated in several suicide bids. At the age of 12, she stole a packet of paracetamol tablets from the hospital's supplies and swallowed some. Shortly after, her weight drastically dropped and she fell into a coma; at one stage, her doctors predicted she was minutes from death.[4] After this incident, Grahame was force-fed through a tube that was stitched inside her stomach but when she regained consciousness, she continuously tried to remove the feeding apparatus.[5]
Grahame was eventually admitted to Rhodes Farm, an eating disorders clinic in
Career
2003–2005: Early media appearances
Before Grahame appeared on Big Brother, she appeared as an extra in the
2006: Big Brother 7
In May 2006, Grahame registered as a contestant on the
During her first stay in the Big Brother house, Grahame was nominated for eviction four times and was eventually evicted on Day 58
Grahame finished the show in fifth place with 6.5% of the final vote.[19] The crowd response was less positive than it had been at her prior eviction, when she departed to unanimous chanting and cheers.[20] Host Davina McCall attempted to interview Grahame but she was reluctant to speak, saying she was scared and shocked by the booing from the crowd.[19] Grahame's live interview was cut short and she was led off the stage.[21]
2007–2009: After Big Brother 7
After leaving the Big Brother House, Grahame presented the "Celebrity Spotting" section on one episode of
Grahame made personal appearances, which included participation in various television shows such as
In June 2007, Grahame returned to the Big Brother franchise as a reporter for the spin-off show
2010: Ultimate Big Brother
On 24 August 2010, Grahame competed in
During Grahame's time in Ultimate Big Brother, she appeared to be more comfortable discussing her anorexia;[33] in particular, she conversed with Vanessa Feltz, who has also had problems with her weight.[34]
2015–2021: Big Brother Canada 4 and final projects
In 2015, Grahame participated in the
I've been on buying trips and been designing a lot of things myself. From the very start I said I wanted to be really hands on, from picking fabrics to designing labels and I feel like I've succeeded. I'm excited that it's a petite collection because sizing is always something I struggle with.[36]
On 23 February 2016, Grahame was announced as one of four 'international wildcards' representing Big Brother UK who could be voted into the
In August 2017, Grahame appeared on the
Grahame often appeared on the panel of There is something about this house where nothing else matters. Big Brother has played such a huge part of 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.[44]
Personal life
At the age of 18, Grahame was given
In October 2011, Grahame confirmed she had relapsed and was again suffering from anorexia, stating she had checked into her 11th institution.
Death
In March 2021, Grahame's family announced she had again relapsed, that she "constantly feels weak and is struggling on a day to day basis", and that she wanted to recover but felt it was "impossible".[48] They opened a GoFundMe fundraiser to pay for private treatment because the NHS treatments had "failed". The family said they had "exhausted every avenue possible" and raised over £60,000 for Grahame's treatment. On 24 March, following a fall Grahame entered Dorset County Hospital, where she remained until she was discharged on 8 April. The next day, she was found dead in her Stanmore flat; she had died from complications of anorexia nervosa at the age of 38.[1][49][50][51][52] She had been due to enter a private facility in Devon to receive specialist treatment the following week. At the time of her death, Grahame weighed less than 30 kg (66 lb).[53]
A tribute to Grahame was aired at the start of episode 18 of
Filmography
Year | Show | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | EastEnders[56] | Extra | |
Dream Team | Footballer's Wife [57] | Minor role | |
Blind Date[57]
|
Contestant | 1 episode | |
2006 | Big Brother UK 7[58]
|
Originally Evicted Day 58, Returned Day 83, Finished in 5th place | |
Princess Nikki[58] | Herself | Lead role; one series | |
The Jeremy Kyle Show[58] | 1 episode | ||
Big Brother Uncut
|
|||
The Friday Night Project[58]
|
Guest Presenter | 1 episode | |
2006, 2009, 2010 | TMi
|
Herself | 3 episodes |
2006–2020 | This Morning | Guest; 6 episodes | |
2007 | 8 Out of 10 Cats: Big Brother Special[59] | Guest Panellist | 1 episode |
Weakest Link[60]
|
Contestant | Celebrity special, 1 episode | |
Celebrity Soup[56] | Guest Co-presenter | 3 episodes | |
2007–2010 | Big Brother's Little Brother[56]
|
Panellist | |
2007–2009 | Big Brother's Big Mouth[56]
|
||
2008 | Balls of Steel[56] | Herself | 1 episode |
CelebAir | |||
Supersize vs Superskinny | |||
Celebrity Juice | Guest; 1 episode | ||
2010 | Ultimate Big Brother[60] | Contestant | Finished in 2nd place |
2011–2018 | Big Brother's Bit on the Side[56]
|
Panellist | |
Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side[56]
|
|||
2012 | Celebrity Coach Trip' [61]
|
Herself | Paired with Aisleyne; eliminated first |
2015 | Big Brother[58] | Guest Housemate | 16th series[56]
|
The Family Outing[56] | Nina | Film | |
Pointless Celebrities[62]
|
Contestant | 1 episode | |
2016 | Big Brother Canada 4[56]
|
Finished in 6th place | |
Loose Women | Herself | Guest; 1 episode | |
2017 | In Therapy[56] | 1 episode | |
2018 | The Story of Reality TV | Television documentary | |
2019 | Britain's Got More Talent[56]
|
1 episode, with Aisleyne | |
2020 | Big Brother: Best Shows Ever[58]
|
Guest appearance | |
2022 | Nikki Grahame: Who Is She?[63] | Subject | Channel 4 documentary documenting Grahame's life and battle with anorexia |
Awards
Year | Award | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | National Television Awards | Most Popular TV Contender | Won [56] |
Books
References
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{{cite web}}
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External links
- Official website[dead link]
- Nikki Grahame at IMDb