Big Brother stars Grace Adams-Short and Mikey Dalton have opened up about supporting former housemate Nikki Grahame in her final days in an emotional interview.
Nikki died in April last year, at the age of 38, following a life-long battle with anorexia.
The former reality star, who was loved by viewers for her hilarious tantrums and funny nature, was discharged from a private hospital just one day before her death and found unconscious at her home.
Her mother Sue said Nikki was being treated for an eating disorder, as she was the lowest weight she’d been for years.
Grace and Mikey spoke about keeping in touch with their former Big Brother housemate, and said a support group had been set up for them to stay in touch and help Nikki.
“The group was set up when we saw how she was deteriorating to try to give her a bit of a boost,” Grace told OK!
She said the group chat was set up to “offer support for her and let her know she wasn’t on her own”, and she was left “devastated” when news broke of Nikki’s tragic death.
“It was such a waste of a fun-loving life,” Grace said.
Mikey, who finished ninth on the show back in 2006, said Nikki’s death hit him hard because it was “unnecessary”.
“It was a real shock. It is absolutely devastating,” he shared.
Mikey recalled taking part in a Zoom call, hosted by Rylan Clark, to celebrate Big Brother’s 20th anniversary last year, and admitted Nikki “felt a bit flat”, sparking concern.
“I remember Grace and I saying to each other that she didn’t seem right, not herself. I don’t think Covid helped her. It’s just so sad,” he added.
Grace said the experience was like being at university, and the housemates from their series always kept in touch, especially when it came to rallying round Nikki.
“Everyone is always supportive on Instagram, but it’s like when you graduate university, you don’t necessarily see everyone face to face, but the support is always there,” she explained.
Just one day before her death on 9 April last year, Nikki was discharged from Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, despite her mum Sue begging doctors to let her stay.
She pleaded with her daughter to let her stay with her, but Nikki insisted she wanted to be alone in her flat in Harrow.
“She told me she would be OK and was going to a recovery clinic in London on the Monday. I had to stay open-minded. I didn’t know she’d die,” Sue told the Daily Mirror.
