Rochelle Rackham was crowned the winner of Big Brother, leaving the house to boos from both the studio audience and her fellow housemates. She secured the majority of the estimated 4.9 million votes, defeating runner-up Lucy 'Twinks' Burnett, a stylist and advocate for trans rights.
Unpopular Victory
Rackham was the most nominated contestant in 13 years, and her win was met with a polarizing reaction. Twinks, who championed feminism and love, received booming cheers and chants of 'you should have won' from the crowd, while Rackham remained inside the house.
During her exit interview, hosts Will Best and AJ Odudu had to plead with the audience to stop booing because it was drowning them out. Rackham's behavior throughout the series drew criticism, including offensive comments toward housemates and historic Facebook posts, one of which was described as a racist comment targeting Muslims.
Controversial Incidents
In the first week, Rackham told Charlotte Nott, who lost parts of her limbs to bacterial meningitis as a toddler, that she felt 'scared' when she first saw her. She was also told off by Big Brother for making offensive jokes about Yasmin's weight, and made a comment about not being happy with a transgender person in the toilet with her.
Despite these incidents, Rackham was not removed from the house. A family source said she 'regretted' sharing the Facebook post and would 'never want to cause anyone hurt or upset.'
Reaction and Aftermath
Rackham promised to be 'more tolerant' during her interview, but her win has been seen by some as a reflection of a society that celebrates bigotry over kindness. The outcome has tarnished a series that many felt was otherwise phenomenal, with Twinks deserving better according to some viewers.
