Loana Petrucciani, the French reality television icon who won the inaugural series of Loft Story, has been buried in a pink coffin following her funeral at Sainte-Réparate Cathedral in Nice. The 48-year-old was found dead in her flat on 25 March, with prosecutors indicating an accidental fall as the likely cause.
Her funeral service was open to the public, allowing admirers to pay respects alongside her mother Violette, brother, and former Loft Story cast members. In accordance with her final wishes, she was laid to rest in a pink casket, a tribute to her 'Loana' persona.
Loana rose to fame in 2001 after being selected from approximately 13,000 candidates to appear on Loft Story, the French equivalent of Big Brother. She won the show but courted controversy after a heavily publicised pool sex scene with fellow housemate Jean-Édouard Lipa.
Following the programme, she claimed to have earned over €1 million (£871,055) through deals and appearances, but alleged that much of the wealth was taken by 'parasites'. Later attempts at television comebacks were criticised as exploitative, with producers accused of focusing on her breakdowns and medical emergencies.
Loana's daughter Mindy, born in 1998, was placed into foster care due to poverty. The secret became public during Loana's time in the Loft Story house, leading to a custody dispute that resulted in Mindy living permanently with her father.
