Michelle Bass and Stuart Wilson, who became the first couple to have sex on the fly-on-the-wall reality show Big Brother in 2004, have since gone their separate ways. They dated for around a year after the show ended before splitting, and Michelle has since retired from the spotlight to live near the sea with her husband and two daughters.
A Rollercoaster Romance in the Big Brother House
The dramatic fifth series of the show aired on Channel 4 in 2004, introducing viewers to a house full of unique personalities, including Nadia Almada, Victor Ebuwa, Emma Greenwood and Jason Cowan. It became must-see TV thanks to that insanely explosive fight night, as well as Michelle and Stuart ruining the word ‘chicken’ for an entire audience.
The wannabe singer, 23, and psychology student, 20, weren’t the first housemates to find romance in front of the all-seeing cameras, as Helen Adams and Paul Clarke claimed that title three years before, but they left viewers gripped with their rollercoaster romance. While they were only on the show for a matter of weeks, they made history after becoming the first couple to have sex on the show.
Viewers watched aghast as the flirty pair made a makeshift tent out of the communal table before disappearing underneath it. When host Davina McCall asked Michelle what happened at her eviction weeks later, she was met with 'no comment' and a stonewall response on camera. However, as the microphones cut off, Davina whispered to Michelle off-air asking if they slept together, and Michelle laughed, nodded, and said "Yes."
Life After the House
Long-haired student Stu, who hailed from Macclesfield, became a household name when he stepped foot in the Big Brother house, and quickly found a connection with down-to-earth Geordie co-star Michelle. 69 days later, he made history again - this time for becoming the first contestant to be evicted via the Diary Room. However, despite the fleeting fame, he appears to have vanished from the spotlight - after he reportedly auditioned for Busted star James Bourne’s pop-rock band Son of Dork.
On the other hand, Michelle had a longer brush with fame and was clearly destined for a career on TV. She swapped her career as a mortgage advisor to audition for Pop Idol, before moving into the Big Brother house. Soon after her eviction, she stepped back in front of the camera as a glamour model, with shoots in Nuts and Zoo. She also enjoyed stints on a string of other shows, including The Weakest Link, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and The Culture Show. She also took her talents to the stage and stunned audiences with her efforts as Princess Jasmine in the panto version of Aladdin.
A New Life as a Mother and Wife
Sadly, things didn’t work between the reality star and Stu - they dated for around a year after Big Brother ended, before calling time on their romance. In 2018, she shed light on their split during an appearance on The Sun’s Back To Reality: “I think me and Stu were together a year after Big Brother, and we just went our separate ways in the end. It wasn't meant to be. When was the last time anybody saw him? Does he even exist anymore? Who knows?!"
Michelle also took a step back from the spotlight to welcome two daughters with her husband, hypnotist Steve McKeown. “Back in the early days after Big Brother, my days would consist of all me, me, me actually…,” she added. “My life just revolves around my children now. After 10 years of working in the media industry and seeing all the ups and downs, I just decided that I would like to be a little bit more anonymous and a little bit less anxious, and just enjoy life as a mother and a wife, and I've not looked back. Looking back I’ve got no regrets but it’s obviously a lot more relaxed now. I’ve got a house near the sea and I’m a full-time mum.”
