Former Big Brother star Alex Sibley has made an unexpected transition into politics after winning a council seat for Reform UK in Thursday's local elections. The 47-year-old reality TV personality, who finished third on the Channel 4 show alongside Alison Hammond and Jade Goody, secured 1,255 votes in the Emerson Park ward of Havering, alongside fellow Reform candidate David Johnson.
From Reality TV to Local Government
Alex Sibley first announced his candidacy last month on Instagram, writing: 'It's Official. 7th May 2026. With a combined age of 126 years old and no degree from Oxford or Cambridge in Politics, we are Emerson Park candidates for Havering and Reform UK.' His victory contributed to Reform UK winning the majority vote in Havering, making it the first London council controlled by the party, replacing the local Residents Association which had held minority control since 2022.
A Turbulent Past
After his Big Brother fame, Sibley leveraged his hygiene obsession into a £250,000 deal with Domestos. However, his career stalled when Kurt Lange, 63, died after running in front of his BMW in Essex. The case was dropped in 2006 due to insufficient evidence, but Sibley has admitted he retreated from the spotlight as work dried up. He later moved into affordable housing and expressed disappointment at losing opportunities like a Nickelodeon show and pantomime roles.
Speaking to The Sun, Sibley said: 'A major thing happened in my life. A guy ran into the side of my car and died from his injuries. I lost my kids TV programme. I had a live show on Nickelodeon, and I was about to do panto. Because that all lost I then started f***ing hating Big Brother because it was my stepping stone into doing something else. I was making a lot of money. The first year I made nearly £250,000 which is insane.' He also blamed the police for the length of the investigation.
Sibley is now married to a French ballerina and has four children.
Reform UK's National Gains
Nigel Farage hailed a 'truly historic shift in British politics' as Reform UK seized seats in former Labour strongholds in the North and Midlands, as well as taking Newcastle-under-Lyme council from the Conservatives. Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the 'tough' results, admitting 'unnecessary mistakes' had been made but vowing not to 'walk away' and promising announcements to show 'things will get better'.
