Big Brother's Nadia Almada tearfully apologises for 'fat shaming' herself

Watch Big Brother's Nadia Almada tearfully apologises for 'fat shaming' herself

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Big Brother winner Nadia Almada has apologised for "fat shaming and mistreating" herself after her historic victory in the reality show 20 years ago.

The Portuguese hairdresser was the first trans winner of the show and has been hailed as an inspiration in representation for the trans community but she had tears in her eyes as she told Loose Women how bad she felt for being unkind to her younger self.

Almada added that if she was to do Big Brother now, she would still hide that she was a trans woman because it is "nobody's business".

What, how, and why?

When Almada won Big Brother in 2004, she was praised for her representation of the trans community and launched a successful career on the back of her popularity with viewers.

But appearing on Loose Women to talk about her reality TV victory 20 years ago, Almada grew emotional as she looked back on photos of herself from the time of her win.

Almada had chosen not to tell any of her housemates on the show that she was a trans woman and told Loose Women of being in the Big Brother house: "It was a prison made of cardboard but I was so emotionally and spiritually free in there because it was a world within a world. It was very liberating."

The programme flashed up some old photos of Almada from 2004 and she said: "Looking at those pictures I need to profusely apologise to her (speaking about herself) for fat shaming her, for objectifying her, for mistreating her. Somehow along the line I compartmentalised that young lady for not being your standard..."

Almada fought back tears as she broke off from what she was saying and Loose Women's Coleen Nolan comforted her.

The Big Brother winner continued: "Now I'm talking to me, really. I'm sorry for doing that to Nadia because it was a special moment and I had to put her in the attic or the basement. It comes from maturity and experience. 20 years on, I have to embrace a different strength in me. I embrace it and I feel better for it."

Nadia Almada would still keep her gender identity a secret

Almada also admitted that despite there being better trans representation on TV now, she would still keep her gender identity a secret if she took part in Big Brother now.

Brenda Edwards asked whether she would hide being trans if she was on the show now and Almada said: "Yes, I would do the same and it's nobody's business really. I think it was very much a secret because that's how it was, we were unrepresented everywhere as a woman with a trans identity. It wasn't something that we would come out publicly and be visible in any aspect of our society.

"My narrative was that it is only a facet of me. In the house I took control and I created my own narrative. Before going in the house I'd been pigeon-holed, labelled with all the derogatory terms so I just wanted to be that young lady."

She continued: "Coming out of the show, I became the first point of reference for many people. It's very toxic at the moment, there's a lot of discord. What's important is for the world to see the humanity behind the person versus any religion, gender...

"Let's see beyond any of that. Stop segregating us as women in respect of the chromosomes, the biological things."

Loose Women airs on ITV1 at 12.30pm on weekdays.

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