The worrying depths of Big Brother star Nikki Grahame’s struggle with anorexia were highlighted last week as pal Rylan Clark-Neal made a public plea for help to save her life.
The TV host shared a GoFund Me page – set up by Nikki’s friends to raise funds for her to receive specialist treatment – that showed heartbreaking images of her.
On the page’s bio, Nikki’s friends reveal all NHS treatments have failed and shockingly describe paying for special treatment – costing £25,000 – as her “last hope”.
They added, “She is in a very bad way, this is now our last hope. She has no energy and is taking each day as it comes.”
As Closer went to press, the page had received over £66,000 in donations, and it had been reported that Nikki will be going into a private treatment facility this week. Fans have sent an outpouring of support for the 38-year old, who first rose to fame in Big Brother 7 in 2006.
CBB star Nicola McClean – who knows Nikki from the “Big Brother circuit” – tells Closer that she cried when she saw the images.
Nicola, 39, who has battled anorexia and bulimia since the age of 11 and was later diagnosed with body dysmorphia, says, “I’ve been desperately ill with an eating disorder myself but, even for me, as someone who has suffered, to see those images is just so upsetting. I cried.
“I know she’s fought this illness hard, because we have spoken to each other about it. I know she has desperately tried to beat this. It makes me so sad to see her this way because she will be devastated.”
Nikki has battled an eating disorder for over 20 years. While there were concerns over her small frame when she starred in Big Brother, just three years later, her weight plummeted to just 5½st.
In the grips of depression, Nikki overdosed on sleeping pills and was sectioned.
But in 2015, she told Closer she was feeling mentally stronger and healthy after moving to France to restart her life away from the limelight. She had reached 7st and her BMI was considered normal for her 5ft frame.
She talked about her hopes of finding love and starting her own family through “different ways” after anorexia had sadly left her infertile.
The TV star said, “I’m a healthy weight for the first time in my life. I’m so proud of myself”, after admitting she feared she would “starve myself to death” if she didn’t turn her life around.
But Nikki then moved back to the UK and last appeared on Sky Bingo series, The Large Ry-Union, alongside Rylan and her ex, Pete Bennett, just last month. She appeared to hide her deteriorating frame behind a roll-neck jumper and the show was filmed through Zoom.
Last month, professionals at the Eating Disorder Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists warned there had been a “tsunami” of new patients suffering with anorexia and bulimia, and eating disorder charity Beat told Closer they had seen an 81 per cent rise in calls to their helpline during the pandemic.
Nicola says, “I can totally understand why Nikki may have relapsed. The pandemic has been so horrific for anyone with that sort of mental illness, because eating disorders are an illness about control.”
Nicola reveals she also suffered a relapse with bulimia during the first lockdown, adding, “I felt like I had no control over anything I ate because I couldn’t go to the shops to buy what I wanted because the shelves were bare.
“We couldn’t see loved ones and face-to-face therapy stopped. I can’t see how therapists weren’t classed as essential workers.”
Nicola adds, “Not eating is not a quick-fix to losing weight and it shouldn’t be normalised in any way. It’s not self-love, it’s self-loathing.
“It’s an everyday battle for someone who suffers with an eating disorder. For anyone to think anorexia is a vanity thing or that you’re lucky to be able to control your weight, trust me, it’s one of the worst mental illnesses you can be dealt.”
Check out: 35 celebrity couples you definitely forgot about 🤯
35 celebrity couples we forgot about SLIDER
1 of 441. Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson
Jennifer and Owen dated for a short time in 2008 after filming Marley & Me together.
2 of 442. Sandra Bullock and Matthew Mcconaughey
Sandra Bullock and Matthew Mcconaughey became a couple after starring in A Time To Kill together. Despite the fact they looked SUPER CUTE together with their matching glossy curls, their relationship lasted less than two years.
3 of 443. Seal and Tyra Banks
Before Seal married Heidi Klum and started throwing THE BEST Halloween parties of all time (seriously, if you don't know, check them out), he briefly dated model and 'smize' enthusiast, Tyra Banks.
4 of 444. Johnny Depp and Kate Moss
We don't want to be dramatic, but Kate Moss and Johnny Depp were probably the hottest couple OF ALL TIME.
5 of 44Johnny Depp and Kate Moss
Seriously, just look at them. That hair! Those cheekbones! PHWOAR!
6 of 44Johnny Depp and Kate Moss
The couple met in 1994 - when Johnny was 31 and Kate was just 20 - and dated for four years and were reportedly even engaged.
7 of 445. Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal
Brace yourselves, ladies, for you're about to witness pictures of dreamboat Jake Gyllenhaal looking TOTALLY besotted with another woman. The woman in question is, of couse, Kirsten Dunst, who he dated from 2002 - 2004.
8 of 44Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal
Look, here he is gently cupping her face as he stares adoringly into her eyes...
9 of 44Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal
And here they are snogging each other's faces off in a doorway. JEALOUS!
10 of 446. Kate Bosworth and Orlando Bloom
Long before he went naked paddle boarding with Katy Perry, British actor Orlando Bloom dated super-chic actress Kate Bosworth.
11 of 447. Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere
Wow, these two REALLY looked great together. Just look at them! Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere first met in 1987 when Cindy was just 21, and wed four years later. Sadly their huge 17-year age gap proved fatal, and the couple divorced just four years later in 1995.
12 of 448. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Gosling
Yes, much to everyone's surprise, Ryan Gosling and Sandra Bullock were once a 'thing'. Briefly.
13 of 449. Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin were married for nine years and have one child - Ireland Baldwin - together. Sadly, their relationship ended in a bitter divorce in 2002.
14 of 4410. Blake Lively and Penn Badgley
Long before Blake was ultimate #CoupleGoals with hubby Ryan Reynolds, she made Gossip Girl fans' dreams come true by dating her GG co-star Penn Badgley. Sadly the couple broke everyone's hearts by splitting up three years later, but we think we can all agree it was for the greater good.
15 of 4411. Natalie Portman and Moby
Yes, Oscar winning actress Natalie Portman briefly dated the much-maligned musician (and fellow vegan), Moby. Strangely, the only image we could find of them was this one where they're posing with Questlove and Black Thought from The Roots and even more inexplicably, Natalie's holding a cake. GO FIGURE.
16 of 4412. Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson
Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson's relationship may have been short (it only lasted about a year), but it had HUGE ramifications - mainly because Ted was married at the time and his affair with Whoopi resulted in his second divorce. Gulp.
17 of 4413. Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt
Can we all just take a moment to remember just how great Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt were together. Look - they even had matching hair! The couple, who were together from 1994 - 1997 met when Gwynnie was just 24, and were even engaged. Talking about the relationship years later, Oscar winner Gwyneth admitted: "I f----- that up, Brad!" REGRETS!
18 of 4414. Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck
Who do you possibly date if you've just broken up with Brad Pitt? Well, if you're Gwyneth Paltrow, that answer's Ben Affleck. The couple dated on and off till 2000.
19 of 4415. Sienna Miller and Rhys Ifans
Let's take a trip back to 2007, when Sienna Miller had everyone asking, 'WTF does SHE see in HIM?' when she began dating super-scruffy Welsh actor Rhys Ifans (yes, we know he's probably got a great personality, but COME ON!).
20 of 4416. Kim Kardashian and Nick Cannon
Back when Kim Kardashian was BFFs with Paris Hilton and still had most of her real face (circa 2006), she was doing the dirty with Nick Cannon - aka. Mariah Carey's baby daddy.
21 of 44Kim Kardashian and Nick Cannon
And look, here they are posing with a topless woman who's carrying a snake. Good times!
22 of 4417. Ashton Kutcher and January Jones
Before we all knew her as Betty Draper in Mad Men, January Jones dated Ashton Kutcher. The couple dated from 1998 - 2001, but sadly, despite the fact they look seriously happy in this snap, it turns out Ashton was a bit of a jerk. Talking to GQ in 2009, January admitted: "He was not supportive of my acting... He was like, 'I don't think you're going to be good at this."
23 of 4418. Kiera Knightley and Jamie Dornan
Long before he was dark and brooding and Christian Grey, Jamie Dornan was the dark, brooding boyfriend of Kiera Knightley. Lucky girl!
24 of 4419. Chris Evans and Jessica Biel
Yes, Jessica Biel (who's now happily to married to Justin Timberlake) used to date Captain America! Sorry, we mean, Chris Evans. Who knew?
25 of 4420. Madonna and Sean Penn
Madonna's dating history is long and varied - from legendary artist Jean Michel Basquiat to, er, Vanilla Ice - but let's take a minute to remember that her first husband was none other than Sean Penn. The couple were married from 1985 - 1989, and although they weren't suited in many many ways, they certainly looked great together.
26 of 4421. Jennifer Lopez and Wesley Snipes
J-Lo has had some hot, and seriously famous, O/H's (hiya Diddy, Marc Anthony, Ben Affleck!), but did you know she briefly dated actor Wesley Snipes in the mid-90s? No, neither did we!
27 of 4422. Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin
And the award for the cutest celeb couple of all time is... Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin. Seriously, just look at them! We. Can't. Cope.
28 of 4423. Winona Ryder and Matt Damon
Winona Ryder and Matt Damon met in 1997 after being introduced by Gwyneth Paltrow (who was dating Matt's mate Ben Affleck at the time). The couple became official in 1998, but broke it off just two years later in 2000.
29 of 4424. Owen Wilson and Sheryl Crow
Owen Wilson dated All I Wanna Do singer Sheryl Crow from 1999 - 2001. Here they are having a red carpet snog which Sheryl doesn't look 100% comfortable with. Eek!
30 of 4425. Courteney Cox and Michael Keaton
Courteney Cox and Michael Keaton dated for an impressive (in Hollywood terms, at least) six years. Following their split in 1995, Courteney said: "It's the most important relationship I've ever had, and I think he's the most wonderful person I've ever met." Awww!
31 of 4426. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn
Remember when Jennifer Aniston dated Vince Vaughn? The couple started dating after filming The Break Up together (which was possibly a bad omen) because, as you can see from this snap of them not enjoying each other's company, it wasn't really #CoupleGoals
32 of 4427. Ryan Reynolds and Alanis Morissette
Does Ryan Reynolds and Alanis Morisette strike anyone else as a bit of an odd coupling? Yes, we know they're both Canadian, but still. Anyway, the couple dated for five long years after meeting at Drew Barrymore's birthday party in 2002 (IMAGINE!), and were even engaged to be married.
33 of 44and Alanis Morissette
Sadly they never made it down the aisle, but they did manage to get in A LOT of PDAs before splitting in 2007.
34 of 4428. George Clooney and Lucy Liu
George Clooney's dated more gorgeous women than we've had hot dinners, but we were particularly into his short-lived fling with Charlie's Angels star Lucy Liu.
35 of 4429. Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto
Look at these cool kids! Yep, Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto dated from 1999 - 2003 and were reportedly even engaged. We think they looked pretty great together tbh.
36 of 4430. Nicole Kidman and Lenny Kravitz
Despite the fact that Nicole Kidman and Lenny Kravitz dated for two years (2003 - 2005) and were even engaged, the only photos we could find of the pair was this seriously awkward encounter with Nicole's hubby Keith Urban.
37 of 44Nicole Kidman and Lenny Kravitz
Like, REALLY awkward. Let go of her hand, Lenny!
38 of 4431. Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr.
Yes, that is Robert Downey Jr. And yes, he dated Sarah Jessica Parker - for an incredible seven years in fact! We love this snap of them looking seriously cute and gawky back in 1990!
39 of 44Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr.
And here they are at the London premiere of SJP's film LA Story shortly before their split in 1991.
40 of 4432. Whitney Houston and Ray J
We LOVED Whitney, but she really did have awful taste in men. At the time of her death the legendary singer was dating Ray J (of Kim Kardashian sex tape fame).
41 of 4433. Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake
Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake began dating after meeting at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in 2003 (proof that love can strike any time, any place). The couple dated for almost four years, and appeared to spend much of their relationship looking loved-up at sports events. Here they are staring lovingly into each other's eyes at a charity basket ball game...
42 of 44Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake
And here they are having a cheeky snog at a Lakers game. As you do.
43 of 4434. Jennifer Aniston and Tate Donovan
Before Brad, Jennifer Aniston dated Tate Cooper- who you'll probably know as Jimmy Cooper, Marissa's hot dad in The O.C.
44 of 4435. Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz
And finally, who can forget the time that Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz began dating and everyone REALLY hoped they'd get married and double barrel their names #Mems
For Nicola, the turning point was when she had her son Striker, now 11. At the time, she weighed just 6st and found it a struggle to pick him up from his cot. Fortunately, her sister staged an intervention by taking her to see professionals, and Nicola hopes Nikki’s friends’ fundraising will finally get her the help she so desperately needs.
Celebs such as radio host Vanessa Feltz and Drag Race star Michelle Visage have pledged their support – and donations – while Nikki’s fellow BB star and close friend Imogen Thomas said, “She is my best friend and I truly do love our friendship, and seeing how much you love her has been so touching.”
Nicola adds, “It’s hard to know how to help, but I just hope Nikki knows how much she is loved.”
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Help those suffering from eating disorders
Raising the issue with a loved one can be challenging. Speak to them one-on-one, away from mealtimes. Try not to centre the conversation on food or weight.
It’s not always about weight. Look out for other signs, including exercising excessively, eating in secret, skipping meals, or distorted beliefs about body image.
The Beat Adult helpline is open to anyone over 18. Call them on 0808 801 0677. Anyone under 18 can call Beat’s Youthline on 0808 801 0711 (9am-8pm on weekdays, 4pm-8pm weekends and bank holidays).