Davina McCall joked that she’s forming a Big Brother support group with Rylan Clark after experiencing severe FOMO, and we don’t blame her.
The ITV relaunch began with a bang as AJ Odudu and Will Best welcomed the legendary house’s new 16 participants, and it was quite amazing.
However, Davina, the previous presenter, has addressed the ‘fear of missing out,’ or Fomo, when it was discovered that she gave her permission as she turned over the keys to AJ.
Davina, who led the series from 2000 until 2010 on Channel 4, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘How’s it going? I’ve got horrific Fomo.’
To a comment joking she should set up a WhatsApp support group with Rylan, she added: ‘We have.’
Meanwhile, ex-Big Brother winner Brian Dowling, who presented the series right after Davina for two seasons and four seasons of the Celebrity spin-off, also offered his opinions on social media, discussing how he became known as a former presenter.
In a series of lengthy posts, he wrote: ‘I’ve posted so much stuff on here over the years regarding Big Brother 2011 and also winning Ultimate Big Brother in 2010 both of those opportunities 100% changed my life. I have the ABSOLUTE BEST MEMORIES EVER as a housemate. I then went on to host the show for six seasons, the first man to host Big Brother!’
He went on: ‘From crowning Luke Anderson the winner to ICONS like Denise Welch, Julian Clary, Heidi and Spencer and of course Rylan I was only 33 years old when I was offered the job of hosting the main show.
‘I, of course, said yes, even though it was the spin-off show I wanted and not the main show. But I would have been a fool to turn it down.
‘Speaking honestly, I always feel some people like to change history and try and erase the fact I hosted the show directly after Davina and then it went to Emma.’
Brian continued: ‘Just recently, on Friday’s This Morning for example. The new hosts of Big Brother AJ and Will were being interviewed and they were asked if they had spoken to “Emma and Davina” obviously as the ex-hosts and then their pics were brought up on screen.
‘Yet again, there wasn’t even a mention of my time hosting, or even anyone on the production team that would have at least flagged that I was also an ex-presenter.
‘It would have been so lovely to have been included, or to even get a thumbs up from my peers would be INCREDIBLE. I find it so odd that this keeps happening.’
It’s Big Brother Time 👁️🗨️ pic.twitter.com/0Y1fHaDIA6
— Brian Dowling (@brianofficial) October 8, 2023
Brian went on to say that he goes into this in more detail in his upcoming book, adding: ‘I think AJ is a FABULOUS choice as a host. I don’t know Will, but he seems like a lot of fun. I would like to wish them both the best of luck as the new hosts.’
This follows Rylan’s admission that he was ‘devastated’ not to be called back as host, despite ‘presuming’ he would continue his legacy.
The former X Factor judge, who won Celebrity Big Brother in 2013, followed in Davina’s footsteps by hosting Big Brother’s Bit on the Side until 2018.
Appearing on a recent episode of Loose Women, the 34-year-old said: ‘So obviously Big Brother was a massive part of my life, it was favourite thing in the world to do.
‘For the past five years, since it’s been off I’ve been very vocal saying it should come back.
‘In my eyes, it was and still is the best reality show out there, the real reality show.
‘And at that point I didn’t know what was going on with Big Brother and I said very much that I hope I’m a part of it.
‘I suppose naively and stupidly, to a point, I just thought I’ve been there for six – nearly seven – years, I mean I’ve got a Diary Room built in my house, I love the show so much.’
Rylan went on: ‘I just sillily presumed I’d be asked back, I knew Emma wasn’t going back, she’s a good friend of mine, and I wasn’t, it didn’t transpire to be.
‘I could one of those people now that sits there and goes, “It’s what I wanted.” It wasn’t what I wanted.
‘I would’ve gone back to Big Brother in a heartbeat, and it was quite difficult actually, because I didn’t find out until near on when everyone else found out, which I was quite upset about.’
He added: ‘But I genuinely, hand on heart, wish everyone well because I wanted that show to come back for a long time. But from a personal point of view I was devastated.’
Big Brother continues tomorrow night at 10pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
