Following her exit from the Big Brother: Timebomb house, Nikki Grahame took the time to speak to media all about her conflict with Helen Wood in the house, friendship with Brian Belo and much more - read on to find out what she had to say.
What's it like to be out of the house?
It's just been - I've had the best time ever and it's just so lovely to see my friends. The first person I called was Brian [Belo], I was just so desperate to talk to him. I rung him, and he's good.
What did you say to Brian, and what did he say to you?
I said, 'Aw, it's so good to talk to you, are you OK?', because he's been messaging my mum while I've been in the house. They've been exchanging messages, and mum just wanted to thank him for looking after me, and she said that she loved him and all this. So, it was really nice for me to know someone was looking out for him as soon as he came out.
Brian's relationship with Jade - do you think that was genuine?
I do, I actually do now and, I was skeptical at first but after speaking to her, I was on BBBOTS with her and she seems like such a lovely, genuine girl and I would love nothing more than for those two to get together.
Do you think there's a serious future there?
I would like to think so, I would hope there's a future there. Obviously Brian deserves it and if Jade is as serious as she intends, then this would be a perfect match.
Let's talk about Helen [Wood], how did you find her in the house? Are you glad to be away from her?
Oh I'm really glad to be away from Helen, I'm not gonna lie, it was tough and it was even more tough after Brian left just because I felt like I was alone in the lion's den, and I had to fend for myself. Me and Brian looked out for each other and it was just really scary when he left, but I thought I've got to find this strength and I've got to stand up to her, not just for me but for the rest of the house, because I think the rest of the house were intimidated by her as well.
Did you expect her to be as bad as she was?
No. I had no idea and in the first week I kind of thought she was alright, she did my spray tan and she was helping me with my hair, I thought, 'oh, she seems OK', because I literally knew nothing about her. I was in France last year so I didn't watch her in Big Brother, and I'd only met her once on BBBOTS and she seemed OK, but it was just... until I saw her after we moved from the Bunker to the main house - what she was really like and her in full throttle - I realised what a nasty person she was.
Do you think she manipulated you in the first week so you'd go along with the nominations she chose?
Yeah I do feel that to an extent, I find her and Marc very overpowering together, quite intimidating... Marc has a way of brainwashing people into believing what he thinks and, he brainwashed me at times, but luckily I was able to see it and, he said some pretty hurtful things to me towards the end.
How do you think Aisleyne [Horgan-Wallace] will do in the house?
I think Aisleyne's gonna smash it, she was like my saviour when she came in, I was so happy. She really gave me the strength I needed. I know me and Aisleyne have had our history but we've had nine years to patch up our friendship and she is one of my good friends and she always will be. I love her to bits.
Would you have liked to stay in the house a little bit longer?
I would love to... without Helen! But I loved getting to know those guys, I've had such fun in there, it's been great and they're all such lovely housemates, except Marc. Marc started off alright, he made me laugh, it's just a shame he got sucked into Helen's nasty way.
Do you think Marc could turn it around again or has he done too much?
I don't know. I think the damage is done. How they treated Brian is unforgiveable, so I think the damage is done now, it's a shame.
What was it like seeing Pete [Bennett] when he went in?
Aw, it was just perfect. It really was. I couldn't believe it and it was so hard because I couldn't talk to him, all I wanted to do was give him a big hug. It was just lovely and it brought back so many wonderful memories of 2006 and, yeah it was tough. But I know I'm gonna see Pete very soon. I'm heading down to Brighton for a PA in a couple of weeks so, no doubt I'll hook up with him then.
Any feelings there?
No. Me and Pete, we've had our past and we'll always be good friends. I care about him and we've kept in touch over the years, but that's a flame that could never be rekindled.
You looked really nervous leaving the house, where did those nerves come from?
I think, you know what it just brings back so many memories, and you just remember the panic from the first time round. You just honestly don't know what to expect because you really do forget about the outside world during the time you're in there. I was scared of getting booed because you just don't know, have I done anything wrong? Or said something? You just don't know but the crowd were so supportive. I've even had a tweet from Phillip Schofield saying, 'Nikki would be great for I'm A Celeb', and I would love to do it.
You've had a well-documented battle with your eating disorder, how did you find the food situation in the house?
Yeah, Helen said some very hurtful things... I cope amazingly with my food, I'm at a really good place with that now and my weight, but Helen said some very cutting things to me. She called me a 'skinny c**t', and who says that to a recovered anorexic? She just has no bounds, she just takes things too far and I heard what she said, but I chose to ignore it because, I wanted to be the bigger person.
What did you make of her saying that you'd been fake after your panic attack, after the food fight?
Well, fake, that is just ironic for her to call me fake. She played such a game the whole time she'd been in there, she just kept saying about the money and that's just proved why she was there.
What would you say to Helen if you bumped into her on the outside now?
I'd actually walk away if I saw her because, she can say what she likes, she's already slagged me off this morning (June 27). Yeah, she says I sleep all day and my life is like a pantomime, something like this, and I look like a 'reformed crack head', who says things like that? She's just pure poison, that's all I can, and you know what? I feel sorry for her because I'm sure somewhere deep down there she can be a good person but, I think she's just got so many issues. I really think she needs help and I just hope that she gets well soon.
She said things like that about Victor [Ebuwa] and she said things about Brian, did she go too far?
Oh my God, she went way too far, those things she said to Brian were completely unacceptable and unforgiveable, and all she could turn around and say was she didn't regret the things she said, she's not sorry, she should've used different words, but he called her a 'bully', and that is unforgiveable apparently! A bully is what she is and I would hold my hands up in the air and call her a bully over and over again, because that's what she is, and the truth hurts, and it just goes to show she's not sorry for what she's done at all.
The only reason she sort of said sorry is because she was forced to. Pushed into it by Rylan [Clark], because she could see his face and she knows how much people hate her know.
Do you think she could ever turn it around?
Definitely not! Done! The damage is done! She made a 6 foot 4 guy climb a 10 foot wall out of the Big Brother house where he's truly adored and a legend to that show, and she did that to him, she drove him to that. She will never be forgiven, she can never turn it round.
Did you really consider following Brian over the wall when he left?
I did, I did. I couldn't reach it to be honest! Nick was like, 'Get down! You're going to fall!'
Helen said Brian taunted her and that's why she went off on him, what did he say that she didn't like?
He was reacting to her. Brian is a harmless, loveable giant. He wouldn't harm a fly. How can she make him cry like that? It just goes to show... he called her scum and that's probably the worst thing I heard him say to her. I call her scum, that's one of the nicer things I would've said.
She's insinuated that we've not seen the whole story...
No, Helen, she's full of s**t, there's so many arguments that haven't been shown, she laid into Nick the night before we left and, that boy is so tender and delicate, so for her to pick on him who is so loved in that house, that is just... she has no bounds, she has NO bounds.
What did she say to Nick?
There was an argument in the bedroom, I don't know if it was shown, I don't think it was but, she said, 'oh, who's piping up now? For someone scared of confrontation you've got a lot to say for yourself. Since when have you had an opinion?', and then after the argument she said, 'oh, f**king t**t'.
He would never, ever say something like that to anyone, the next day he was in such a state, he just wanted to leave the house. He said, 'I just feel so depleted and angry and upset about how she made me feel. She's made me feel so awful', and I felt like that after that argument I had with her the night before. The whole of the next day it took me to recover, I couldn't find myself. Honestly, I just felt so depleted.
You know what? One of the main things I'm gonna try to do now I'm out of the house, I'm gonna start a Helen Wood Helpline.
Helen implied that Brian upset her because he brought up her past a few times, is that true?
I didn't hear him do that but it was discussed in the house, but I didn't hear him say that at any point.
Do you think Big Brother has gotten too nasty of a show now?
It's not as wild as it used to be, when you compare it to Nasty Nick writing names on a piece of paper, making up a story about his wife having cancer, it's so mild compared to what happens now. People accusing people of being what she accused Brian, it has certainly become a bit more out of control.
Now that you've left the house, will you be going back to your job at the Hard Rock Café?
Definitely not! That was not a job, that was my gap year and I learnt my French and, I had a great time and I'm very fond of Paris and I'm definitely gonna go back and visit in a couple of years, but I'm back now. I'm moving into a new apartment soon and I'm really excited to be back!
So are you fluent in French?
Yeah, sort of! But my grammar's not the best... but I can hold a conversation!
What was it about Nick that you liked so much?
Do you know what? He really reminds me of Pete in some ways, he's just so innocent and just so loving and I just wanna look after him!
Did you realise you were making Harry quite jealous?
You see I didn't know about that! People have told me since I've come out some of the stuff she was saying. But she was really nice to me in the house, I got on with her. Obviously she does look like a blow-up doll but, she's alright! She's an alright girl! I just know that I would look after Nick much better than she would. Some of the things she did say in the house made him cringe like, about her fanny and her boobs, and every time she'd mention that he'd go, 'Oh...', like a cringey 'oh dear', and look up and see what faces people were pulling, because he was horrified.
Do you think Aisleyne and Danny could end up getting together?
Possibly! Do you know, Danny is the nicest guy apart from Nick. I want either Nick to win and if for some reason Nick doesn't win, then I would love Danny to win because Danny is so lovely. I was unsure of him at first, I just thought he was an ordinary guy, nothing special really but after getting to know him you can't help but love Danny, he is so good. He sticks up for everyone and he's not afraid to say what's right, he always, always looks out for people and he's not afraid of confrontation. He'll do anything for anyone, he's such a good person so yeah, I really like Danny.
Did anyone else surprise you in the house?
Jack actually. I didn't think I'd get on with Jack, I thought he was a grumpy old sod but he's actually so funny and he's been so consistent, he's polite and, he's a good housemate. He's very strong in that house and I don't know why he was in the bottom two last night. He does like a little bitch, you know where you stand with him and I really did grow closer with him. He's young, let's face it they're all so young, they've got so much growing to do.
If you'd have stayed in the house, who would you have nominated if you'd been able to?
Ugh, Sam and Marc, 100%! Sam, I was so nice to her the whole time I was in there and she showed her true colours. They had to pick two people out of me and Helen to give feedback, and she went for me, she absolutely went for me, for saying things about Marc, that she shouldn't put up with how he treats her. She said, 'how dare you speak to my friend like that and how dare you accuse me of sitting on the fence when you let Marc and Helen take the blame for all the nominations, you sat on the fence'. Honestly, she would not stop, you only had to give a couple of points, she completely laid into me. In the task I told her to voice her opinion more and not be afraid to not hold back and try and be everyone's friend, and literally she went full throttle! I wasn't expecting that! My God!
Then as soon as it was over, she was like, 'oh babes, I'm sorry, you know I love you!', and I was like, 'no you don't! Piss off! I'm not going anywhere with you in the outside world now!'
Do you think Helen got special treatment in the house because she wasn't removed for her comments?
Well, I think possibly, if anyone else had said those comments maybe they would have got removed, but she's just so unpredictable and Big Brother has no idea what's gonna come out of her mouth next.
Both you and Aisleyne have had long careers since your appearance in Big Brother all those years ago, do you think Helen has quite a short shelf life?
Most definitely! She probably did it for the fame but she's got a salon so she can go back to selling her Russian hair extensions.
Who do you think is worse, her or Katie Hopkins?
My God, she compares herself to Katie Hopkins. Katie Hopkins is more than she can ever be, she's nowhere near. At least Katie Hopkins has class.
Do you have any regrets?
No regrets at all! I loved it, I love that show, I was so happy to be a part of it. I wasn't doing it for the money, I can't help but be a huge fan of Big Brother and for them to ask me to do it was such a privilege, and that's why I was upset when Helen said to me I'm just here for the money, because if anybody was there for the love of that show, I was there for that show. I 'm just so happy that I did it and thanks Big Brother for letting me have that experience for the fourth time!
Will you be watching the rest of the show?
Oh God yeah, I'm hooked. I loved it before I went in, I love it even more now and it's gonna be really hard for me to watch it and not talk to the housemates, especially Nick because I just wanna hug him every time I look at him.
Do you know how to say 'Who is she?' in French yet?
Qui est-elle?!
Big Brother: Timebomb continues daily on Channel 5.
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