A familiar face for many, Josie Gibson has been regularly entertaining viewers on TV since appearing on Big Brother all the way back in 2010. Since then, the Bristol-born star has gone from strength to strength, featuring on show after show and finally bagging herself a presenting role on ITV's This Morning.
Before all of her glamourous TV appearances however, Josie, 37, was a local Bristol girl and went to Brimsham Green School in Yate. The now TV regular got her start on the screen when she featured on Channel 4's Big Brother in 2010.
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After heading into the Big Brother house on day one of the eleventh series, Josie emerged 77 days later as the series winner, receiving a whopping 77 percent of the public vote - more than any other series. She faced multiple nominations for eviction but never faced the public vote.
She donated £20,000 of her BB winnings to Young Lives vs Cancer. Talking to Channel 4 at the time, Josie said: "My heart melts every time I hear we have raised more money."
During her time as a BB housemate, she entered a romantic relationship with John James Parton, from Australia, who was evicted from the house on the 73rd day. After leaving the show, the couple confirmed they were dating - branded JJJ by the public, the pair sadly announced their split in 2011.
Minutes after appearing on Big Brother, the star re-entered the house as a contestant on Ultimate Big Brother, alongside former BB contestants and stars from the celebrity version of the show. Josie heading back into the house only 18 minutes after leaving it - however, she walked off the show three days later.
Speaking to the E4 show Big Brother's Little Brother at the time, Josie said she felt 'paranoid' and 'claustrophobic' on the show. The Mail reports Josie said: "Well you’re trapped. I didn’t know what was going on or being said and all the paranoia starts setting in then doesn’t it.
"I've never ever actually felt like that before, I felt claustrophobic. I was missing all my old housemates, I felt paranoid... I just had to get out of there."
She continued: "I was laying in bed last night and I was looking at the walls and they were coming closer and closer to my face and at one point the wall was touching my nose... so at that point I realised that I was going a bit potty and I had to go.
"I think the problem was I'd left. I'd seen all my friends and family and I'd seen everyone I love the most and then I had to go back in and then when I went back in."
After leaving the world of Big Brother, Josie immediately capitalised from her fame and popularity through selling themed merchandise, including a fruity and sweet perfume named simply Josie. She also sold hoodies and tops, became an ambassador for Curvissa Clothing and began a career in showbiz journalism.
From early 2011, the star first featured on the Channel 5 show OK!TV as a reporter and presenter before the show's eventual cancellation towards the end of the same year. In 2012, Josie claimed a regular column - Just Josie - in Now magazine. She has also starred on numerous television shows over the last decade, including ITV's This Morning and Loose Women, as well as having her own reality shows John James and Josie: What happened Next and There's Something About Josie.
She joined This Morning as a competition announcer in 2019 before graduating to presenter in 2021 as a last minute stand in for Holly Willoughby. Fans immediately took to the presenter and Josie became a regular face on the ITV show when Holly was away. Fans of the ITV1 show adore the presenter, with some calling for her to become a main presenter on the show.
This week, Josie shared news of her son being rushed to hospital in Mexico following a painful accident which left little Reggie in a cast. While appearing on This Morning, Josie opened up about the experience, revealing: “I just spent the night in hospital and I was just in awe.”
Her co-host Craig Doyle asked for an update on her son’s health, with Josie replying: “He's really, really good and I can't thank everyone in that theatre enough. I would have paid anything.”
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