Where Big Brother winners are now – from wasting cash on ketamine addiction to Playboy modelling and Towie lawsuit row | The Sun
IT was the reality show juggernaut that launched the TV careers of the likes of Alison Hammond and the late Jade Goody and Nikki Grahame.
But what about the Big Brother winners that won the hearts of the nation when they entered the house?
With ITV2 officially announcing the return of the hit show during the Love Island final last night, we look at where all 19 of the winners are now.
From presenting This Morning to a TOWIE lawsuit, we reveal what happened to the Big Brother winners once they left the show.
Craig Phillips
The first ever Big Brother winner, builder Craig Phillips, 50, famously donated his entire £70,000 prize money to his friend with Down’s syndrome, Joanne Harris, to pay for her heart and lung transplant.
He went on to become one of the UK’s best known DIY experts, appearing on many shows including 60 Minute Makeover.
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Craig married his wife Laura Sherriff in 2018 after two years of dating.
Rather than asking for gifts from guests, they asked guests to donate to hospice charities instead.
The couple have two children, Nelly, two, and 20-month-old Lennon, and are often showing off their home improvements on Instagram.
Brian Dowling
Brian Dowling, 44, is the only person to win Big Brother twice, having won the second series in 2001 and then 2010’s Ultimate Big Brother.
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He went on to present Big Brother when the show moved to Channel 5, but was replaced with Emma Willis after two series.
Since 2014, Brian has presented the game show Sitting on A Fortune in Ireland, and in 2020, he was on Dance With The Stars with Kai Widdrington, but was the first person to be voted out.
However, he met his husband Arthur Gourounlian through the show, and earlier this year, they announced they’re having a baby together.
Kate Lawler
After winning series three of Big Brother, Kate Lawler, 42, went down the lads’ mag route, appearing in everything from FHM to The Sun’s Page 3.
She went on to become a successful radio presenter, hosting shows on Capital FM and Virgin Radio.
However, she quit in March this year to focus on being a mum and her mental health, having previously opened up about suffering from postnatal depression.
Kate – who is still best friends with Alison Hammond after meeting on the show – recently got married to Martin Bojtos.
Cameron Stout
Cameron Stout, 51, won the fourth series of Big Brother – after being sent to South Africa halfway through the show.
After winning Big Brother he went on to be a spokesperson for the Hall of Clestrain – a derelict Orkney home that appeared in Restoration, a BBC series about listing buildings.
He also co-presented BBC Scotland series Teen Commandments with Edith Bowman.
In 2010 he qualified as a primary teacher and returned to his native Orkney.
He and a pal also launched the island's first escape room and he hosts a music programme on BBC radio. Last year he was spotted with SNP MP Pete Wishart as the Perthshire politician visited Orkney with the Scottish Affairs Committee.
The devout Christian believes in no sex before marriage, and is still single.
Nadia Almada
Nadia Almada, 45, was Big Brother’s first ever transgender winner, and became a trans advocate overnight.
After the show, she released the iconic song A Little Bit Of Action, which only reached number 27 in the UK singles chart – despite deserving more!
Nadia later went on to appear in many different reality shows, including Trust Me…I’m A Holiday Rep.
She went back into the house for Ultimate Big Brother but finished 10th.
In 2016, Nadia was working as a hair colour specialist and completed a course at the Sassoon Academy, London.
She’s also still tweeting about transgender issues, and recently signed a petition to ensure trans people are fully protected under any conversion therapy ban.
Anthony Hutton
Anthony Hutton, 40, was a TV regular after winning Big Brother in 2005.
He even won Man of the Match in both series of Sky One’s The Match that he starred in in 2005 and 2006.
After the show, he set up a trendy barber shop-come-cocktail bar in County Durham, which has clients like Geordie Shore's Gaz Beadle – and he’s opening up an academy in Darlington too.
In 2017, Marnie Simpson revealed she’d had an abortion when she was 19, after a fling with Anthony, who was 29 at the time.
Despite originally being a ladies’ man – and even doing something in the pool with Makosi Musambasi that led her to thinking she was pregnant – he is now married, and father to Cruz, who turns one in August.
Pete Bennett
Tourettes-sufferer Pete Bennett, 40, became a firm favourite among fans, thanks to his relationship with the late Nikki Grahame and his high energy.
However, he unfortunately ended up spending all his winnings on a ketamine addiction, and was forced to go back to his day job.
He now runs a cleaning business, and charges £100 an hour for his services.
Pete married Gemma Rattus, aka Cherry, in 2010 on Celebrity Four Weddings, but they announced they were splitting up just six months later.
However, their divorce was only finalised in October last year, when they both celebrated.
Last year, Pete reunited with his Big Brother runner-up Glyn Wise for a TikTok.
Brian Belo
Brian Belo, 35, won the nation’s hearts by not knowing who Shakespeare was.
After winning series seven, the Essex lad tried and failed to launch a music career, but would often pop up on Big Brother’s Big Mouth and Harry Hill’s TV Burp.
Brian hit headlines in 2013 when he sued the TOWIE producers for allegedly stealing the idea of the show from him.
Brian claimed he had been working on the idea with Sassy films and Massive TV, and he later agreed to a settlement with ITV.
In 2018, Brian insisted that Rylan Clark and Emma Willis wouldn’t be good at presenting Big Brother because they were “trying to be Davina McCall”.
Rachel Rice
Rachel Rice, 38, was the surprise winner of the ninth series of Big Brother.
She spent her winnings on paying off her student debt, and she also gave a portion to charity.
Instead of staying in the spotlight, Rachel went into teaching, and is working as a headteacher at a school in Wales.
She is married with two sons.
Sophie 'Dogface' Reade
Sophie Reade, 33, won Big Brother after changing her middle name to “Dogface” by deed poll as part of a challenge.
After winning the series, Sophie went down the glamour modelling route and even appeared in Playboy.
She would often treats fans to very sexy images on Instagram, and had a big fanbase on OnlyFans, although it seems she’s given it up now.
Sophie took a break from modelling in order to give birth to her son Walter in 2017, who she had with footballer David Goodwillie.
The couple split while she was pregnant.
Josie Gibson
Josie Gibson is arguably the most famous Big Brother winner, now presenting This Morning.
The 37-year-old got just five nominations during her stint in 2010, and was never up for eviction.
She also won by the highest percentage of any Big Brother contestant ever.
In September 2018, she gave birth to her son, Reggie-James, and her weight has yo-yoed over the years.
But she’s now happy at a healthy size 14.
Aaron Allard-Morgan
Contract manager Aaron Allard-Morgan, 41, was the first winner of Big Brother after it moved to Channel 5.
And he was able to go straight back to normal life after.
He set up a bar in his hometown of Weston-super-Mare which offers a platform for young people to gain qualifications and apprenticeships.
However, it seems to be closed now.
Luke Anderson
Luke Anderson, 41, was the first transgender man to win the show, and he went on to become an LGBT rights ambassador.
However, he has since confessed he suffered with panic attacks after vile trolls threatened to stab him
Like some of his other fellow winners, he shunned the limelight in favour of his career.
The married father-of-two now runs a baking business with his wife Jamie-Lee called Cravin' Cupcakes, specialising in cakes, brownies and sweet-treats.
Sam Evans
Sam Evans, 32, was born with 80 per cent hearing loss.
After winning the show, he went back to his job at Debenhams, only featuring in a Welsh TV show in 2016.
He also became an ambassador for a charity that helps those who are hearing impaired.
Helen Wood
Even before she went into the Big Brother house, escort Helen Wood, 36, was infamous for having a threesome with Wayne Rooney.
It was a huge shock when she won the show, having been an extremely argumentative contestant – and she was even booed by the crowds as she won.
But in her 2019 book A Man's World, Helen shared how she had ditched sex work and been caring for her mother who suffered from dementia.
She has since left the public eye and has deleted her Instagram.
Chloe Wilburn
Another Channel 5 Big Brother winner who returned to their day job is Chloe Wilburn, 32.
She now works as a medical cannabis activist and CBD seller.
In 2017, Chloe announced she was engaged.
Later that same year she gave birth to her first child, Vinnie.
Jason Burrill
James Bond stuntman Jason Burrill stole £20,000 from the prize fund early in his Big Brother series, which made his win all the more shocking.
He vowed to spend some of his eventual £90,000 prize on a private matter related to his father, and used the rest to create his business as a property developer.
In 2018, Jason claimed his investments could earn him up to £20million over the next 10 years.
On Instagram, he describes himself as a philanthropist, actor and businessman.
Isabelle Warburton
Isabelle Warburton was famed for being tangoed to the extreme and went on to win Big Brother thanks to her love of fake tan and bright personality.
But she’s now unrecognisable, having become a mum to baby boy Eric two years ago – who she shares with her partner Mike Chung.
The former reality star now owns a salon and is regularly showing off her looks.
Her lips have got noticeably fuller, and she seems very happy.
Cameron Cole
Cameron Cole won the last series of Big Brother when he was just 18, making him the show’s youngest ever winner.
Cameron came out as gay on the show in a very emotional moment.
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He now looks very different, studying psychology at university in London.
He’s also in a long-term relationship with his boyfriend who he met in the capital.
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