Rochelle Rackham, 57, was crowned champion of the ITV reality series on Thursday night, beating fan favourite Lucinda 'Twinks' Burnett to the £100,000 prize following eight weeks of arguments and bitter divisions. But the audience at the live final drowned out her victory interview with deafening boos, forcing presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best to struggle through the segment.
Chaos Erupts During Live Final
The crowd's hostility was immediate, with some chanting 'Twinks should have won' and others demanding a 'recount'. Will Best was forced to address the crowd directly, pleading: 'Guys, guys, she can't hear us speak.' His efforts did little to improve matters, with AJ eventually admitting: 'We're going to have to shout.'
Despite the hostile reception, Rochelle managed to reflect on her victory, declaring: 'All the suffering was worth it.' Clips of the scenes circulated on social media, where viewers described it as an unprecedented moment in the show's history.
Controversial Journey to Victory
Rochelle's reception was not unexpected. She accumulated a record 29 nominations and faced accusations of making offensive remarks about fellow contestants, including comments about an 18-year-old who lost her limbs after meningitis, and remarks about 19-year-old Millie Jarrett's weight.
Earlier in the series, almost 500 complaints were made to Ofcom following a confrontation with fellow contestant Johanne Cade, which prompted accusations of racism and bullying. An offensive social media post Rochelle had shared 11 years earlier, targeting Muslims, also resurfaced online.
Aftermath and Reunion
Despite the controversies, Rochelle emerged victorious over Twinks, with Yasmin finishing third, Samuel fourth, Lynx fifth, and Catrin sixth. The result was striking given that Twinks had been a firm favourite with viewers.
The housemates are due to reunite for a special episode on Friday night, offering an opportunity to confront the controversies that have dominated the past eight weeks. Big Brother: The Reunion airs tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
