The mother of Nikki Grahame has emotionally recalled her daughter's final days ahead of the first anniversary of her heart-breaking death on April 9. The Big Brother icon tragically passed away last year at the age of 39 following a long battle with an eating disorder.
Nikki rose to fame during her appearance on series seven of the reality show in 2006 before returning to the show Ultimate Big Brother in 2010. She also regularly featured on spin-off show Bit On The Side and had her own reality series Princess Nikki on E4.
With a documentary to celebrate Nikki's life set to air on Channel 4 this Thursday, Nikki's mum Sue Grahame appeared on BBC Breakfast to speak to hosts Dan Walker and Sally Nugent.
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Opening up about her daughter's final days, Sue said: "She came down to visit me and collapsed so she was blue lighted to hospital. She was there for two weeks... She was pitiful but I went there to shower her, dress her and sit with her to take a load off the nurses. Nikki managed to convince them that she'd be fine at home. They let her home and she died that night."
The grieving mum then went on to detail her final phone call she shared with her daughter before she sadly passed away. "She rang me at half three in the morning," Sue said before joking: "It was quite normal, she normally did it when she was drunk.
"She said 'Hi mum, I just wanted you to know I managed to get to the loo'. She'd ordered herself a walking frame. I said 'Well done darling, everyday write down one thing that's been positive that day. You'll get there, there's no hurry.'"
She then added: "She [Nikki] said 'Mum, I'm so tired' and I said 'Go to sleep darling, I'll call you in the morning' and then she died."
The emotional chat prompted an outpouring of support on social media.
@AliJCardiff tweeted: "The raw pain & pure love flowing from Nikki Graham’s Mum is so powerful, what a fantastic & brave lady opening up live on TV. Gut wrenching to listen to #BBCBreakfast."
"Watching #Nikkigraham’s mum on #bbcbreakfast, what a wonderful mum she is," @nickymcveagh commented.
@frankkilopezzz wrote: "#BBCBreakfast wow, This interview is truly heartbreaking with Nikki Grahame’s mum. Anorexia is an awful condition."
