Big Brother will return in October, but it all started 23 years ago with the first group of UK reality stars.
Melanie Hill, a 26-year-old computer system salesperson from North London, was one of the 11 contestants vying for £70,000.
She made it all the way to the final four before Craig Phillips won the series.
Melanie, now 49, received some criticism despite her strong finish.
She was liked by her roommates, so she wasn’t nominated for weeks, but when it came time for a public vote, things didn’t go so smoothly. Melanie was kicked out of the social experiment and thrown back into the real world with only a week till the final.
Two years after her eviction Melanie wrote an essay entitled ‘How Big Brother Destroyed My Life’.
‘I had no idea I would emerge as the most hated woman in Britain,’ she stated to Evening Standard.
She was unimpressed with the Channel 4 show’s editing: ‘Over and over again was the sight of my bottom — in a bikini, in knickers, being squeezed into a pair of shorts, in the shower — or of me kissing all the boys [Andy Davidson and Tom McDermott]’.
Melanie added that she was shocked the producers decided to show her ‘tidying my bikini line’.
‘If I’d been white or male, I don’t think that would have happened,’ she said of her portrayal.
Melanie feels that more dialogues are needed to improve diversity and treatment on television.
‘It’s all about having conversations,’ she told us. ‘Those little minor incidents you dismiss, actually, they’re important. And actually, we need to talk about them.’
Melanie dabbled in TV presenting after leaving the programme. She starred in the E4 dating show bound, in which one single person is bound to five others. Then, on each episode, they had to remove one individual until they were left with their selected romantic partner. Is anyone else thinking we should reboot?
Her personal love life piqued her interest as well. She dated Alex Silbey from Big Brother’s third series for three years, however their relationship ended in a custody battle over their rescue dog Poppy.
After an estimated £25,000 in legal bills, joint custody was ultimately agreed upon.
Melanie currently lives away from the spotlight, focusing on her family and eco-friendly lifestyle.
‘Family of 6 people and 2 dogs, living in London, on a zero waste path, and hooked to vintage,’ her Instagram bio says. I hope to both inspire and be inspired’.
Melanie is all about secondhand fashion discoveries and images with her loved ones, including partner Glenn Notton, as the description says.
Melanie has also modified her image, with lighter hair and a more boho dress sense.
Who will be the 2023 stars? We won’t have to wait long since the new ITV revival, starring AJ Odudu, 35, and Will Best, 38, will return shortly.
Big Brother returns to ITV2 in October.
