Celebrity Big Brother’s Vanessa Feltz: ‘It’s amazing what being hungry and horny makes you do’

It’s been two decades since one of the most iconic shows in British reality TV history appeared on our screens – Big Brother first aired in 2000, and eventually had 19 series and 22 versions of the celebrity spin-off.

The show launched the careers of a host of stars – including Alison Hammond, Josie Gibson and Chantelle Houghton – with the celebrity version catapulting already well-known names into even greater mainstream fame.

And Vanessa Feltz – who starred in the first-ever series ofCelebrity Big Brother in 2001 – tells Closer why she believes Big Brother was one of the best shows on TV, and how it set a precedent for the nation’s obsession with reality TV today.

She says, “It’s an absolutely brilliant concept. If Shakespeare were alive today, he’d either be in it or glued to his screen. It’s just a fascinating study of human behaviour – how we behave at our most raw.

“Reality TV really wasn’t a thing back then, and it was the first human-experiment type show of its kind. It’s all about seeing people’s real personalities emerging, falling in love or lust, hating each other, getting drunk, people crying, laughing – and it’s all so fascinating.”

Vanessa, 58, was at the height of a successful career in journalism and TV when she signed up to CBB for Comic Relief, starring alongside the likes of presenter Anthea Turner, boxer Chris Eubank and Boyzone star Keith Duffy.

And the mum of two proved to be a memorable housemate, after a scene featured her stealing the chalk used for the shopping board and silently scribbling random words, such as “incarcerated” and “frustrated”, on to the kitchen table.

She then told Big Brother to “f*** off” – sparking concern among both fans and fellow housemates Claire Sweeney and Jack Dee, who were worried about her mental stability.

Check out: CBB's most jaw-dropping moments

And Vanessa says that moment was catalysed by the pressures of being under surveillance, with the other housemates, and crippling homesickness – something she hadn’t anticipated.

She says, “It was a complete living nightmare from hell, being in the Big Brother house. I don’t know what I thought it’d be like, but I didn’t think I’d feel the way I did. I think my breakdown began from the moment I walked in, after seeing my daughters in the crowd and crossing that bridge.

"My time was weird, lonely, difficult, unnerving and uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be watched all the time and be told what to do. And everyone would be sobbing during nominations, and when I myself got nominated I felt terrible – even though I didn’t think I would.

“And [the chalk incident] was a mini meltdown. I was fine afterwards, but at the time I couldn’t help myself. I was in a volatile state emotionally – I’d just got divorced [from surgeon Michael Kurer] and my mum had recently died. I was desperately missing my daughters, my home, books, sex, and being able to eat what I wanted when I wanted. It’s amazing what being hungry and horny will make you do!”

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Despite struggling in the house, Vanessa – who has been engaged to singer-songwriter Ben Ofoedu since 2006 – emerged as one of the most remembered contestants of all time, even returning for 2010’s Ultimate Big Brother alongside the likes of Nicholas “Nasty Nick” Bateman and Nikki Grahame.

And despite her prior success, Vanessa is adamant the show did wonders for her career, saying, “It was definitely one of the best things I’ve ever done, although when I signed up I had no idea that my decision to go on it would be so monumental. At the time, I had my own TV show, I was a columnist, I was a presenter – but still, CBB was huge for me. To this day, people still ask, ‘Why were you writing on the table?’”

Fans were left heartbroken in 2018 when Big Brother ended, and as the nation experiences its own version of house lockdown amid the pandemic, producers have compiled an anniversary show with highlights from the last 20 years. It’s set to air on 14 June and will be fronted by veteran host Davina McCall and Rylan Clark-Neal.

And Vanessa admits she’d love to see it make a return. She says, “Back then, no one had any idea a show like this could make or break a career. Nowadays, with reality TV, everyone knows what they’re doing, but back then nobody really had a clue.

“Big Brother was the first-ever reality show and it paved the way for the genre. I miss it and I want it to return – it has to! It’s entertaining, frustrating brilliance. As long as other people are interested in the way we all behave – which we all are – it’ll always be fascinating and popular. I can’t wait until the day it does return.”

Celebrity Big Brother secrets: Vanessa spills the beans on Jack Dee's 'escape' attempt

“At one point, my housemate [comedian] Jack Dee came into the room covered in mud, seemingly like he’d tried to get out of the house. I thought, ‘That’s odd, because everywhere is paved. There is no mud!’ The producers had clearly given him some to make it look like he’d made an escape.”

CBB secrets: we weren't paid a penny

“Back then, it was all for charity, for Comic Relief – which is great. But it’s funny how, later on, the show was paying millions in celebrity fees. Ray J, Kim Kardashian’s ex, was reportedly paid £800k in 2017, even though he quit after a week. We weren’t even paid expenses!”

Big Brother: Best Shows Ever starts Sun 14 June, 9pm, E4

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