Age: 53
From: Altrincham, originally Essex
Occupation: Aesthetics Business owner
Why did you apply to be on this new series of Big Brother?
My daughter and her friend told me to apply. It was around midnight one night and I sat there one night and I did it more to humour them two. I did the application and didn’t put any thought into it whatsoever. I didn’t think in a million years I would hear back from them – my jaw dropped when I did!
What do you think you’ll bring to the house?
I’m going to bring peace and harmony and a whole lot of laughter – that’s going to be me. But saying that, I could go in there and be the one to cause all the drama. I would like to think I’m the peacemaker. People ask me if I’m going to be the mother hen in the house – I might have times where I’m the mother hen but generally speaking I’ll be one of the girls. I don’t think I really act my age when I really should so I can’t see myself acting my age in Big Brother.
What are you looking forward to the most about being a housemate?
I keep having these pinch me moments and a huge pinch me moment and something I’m really looking forward to is being inside the Big Brother house – all those pinch me moments like getting out of the car to the crowd. Once I’ve got over all of that, I’m really looking forward to getting to know people that I wouldn’t normally have crossed paths with and hopefully making some really good friends there. I think it’s a really good opportunity to find out what people think of me because you never really know do you? I always used to say that I wish I could earwig on my own funeral to hear what they all said about me! The whole experience is one in a million – to get this opportunity at my age when I thought all the excitement in my life has probably already happened – the biggest thing in my life has hit me and I wasn’t expecting that. I was getting ready to put my feet up and do a bit of knitting.
Do you have a strategy for making it to the final?
No – I’m a little bit worried because maybe I should have a strategy but at the end of the day the whole concept of Big Brother is to be a fly on the wall and watch how normal people interact and what happens. I think if you go in there with a game plan to behave in a certain way or not to say a certain thing, you’re cheating the game and yourself.
What are you most likely to get nominated for?
If somebody doesn’t get my humour then they might think ‘she’s really abrupt and to the point and says it how it is’ but that’s my humour. I’m still going to be me in there but sometimes I may come across as abrupt or say ‘get over yourself’.
Tell us one thing about yourself you think will surprise people the most.
I went to university to study law. I think that will surprise them because I think they’re going to think ‘god, look at her! A dolly bird – thick as pig s**t’.
Who would be your dream celebrity to live with?
Ricky Gervais! Physically I don’t find him attractive but I would marry him tomorrow just for the banter. I love Ricky Gervais – I just think he is an absolute genius comedy writer. I love his zest for life.
What would you do with the money if you won?
My kids have already decided I need to give them five grand each. My dad who is 82, I think I owe him a few quid so I might pay back the loan. I would like to rent a big villa somewhere and get a dozen of my nearest and dearest and take us on a nice holiday. After that, I think I’m going to try and keep hold onto it and invest whatever I’ve got left after the kids have fleeced me. I’ve always fancied buying a little holiday home in Mexico.
