Rachel Rice, one of Big Brother's biggest underdog winners, has stepped away from the spotlight 18 years after her victory. The former reality star, now 42, has returned to her roots as a teacher, working in performing arts at a Welsh school.
Rice was just 24 when she entered the competition in 2008, when the show aired on Channel 4. A trainee teacher at the time, she had always wanted to apply and did so alongside thousands of others across the UK.
From Underdog to Winner
Despite her initial disbelief at being selected, Rice went on to make history as the first Welsh contestant to win the series, securing a £100,000 prize. She received over 51% of the public vote, but faced a booing crowd as she exited the house.
Her time in the house earned her a reputation for avoiding drama, a trait that some viewers criticised. "Some people didn't like me – they said I was boring," she recalled in a Wales Online interview after the show. "They said I was boring because I wouldn't get involved in discussing who'd be out, I wouldn't b*** and that I sat on the fence. But I knew my friends and family at home knew the real me. I stayed true to myself."
Return to Teaching
Rice always planned to resume her teaching career after her television stint. "Whatever I do, I want to work with young people," she said at the time. "My aim is to go back to teaching but if I don't get a job I'd love to do outreach work with underprivileged children. If TV presenting came up that would be a dream – but realistically I can't see that happening."
In her personal life, she married her husband Richard Jenkins in July 2011, and the couple share two sons, according to her social media.
Life After the Limelight
While Rice has chosen a quieter life, other Big Brother winners have leveraged the show for television careers. Kate Lawler, the show's first female winner in 2002, recently returned to the franchise, hosting the companion series The Group Chat alongside GK Barry.
The latest season of Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
