Hallie’s fellow contestants were full of support when she came out during last night’s episode
BY NIC CROSARA, IMAGE BY ITV
Big Brother is one of the UK’s biggest reality TV shows, and on Sunday 8 October, the rebooted show returned to our screens on ITV2 and viewers watched 16 contestants enter the new house. The reboot has received praise for its diverse casting of contestants from a range of different backgrounds and occupations.
This year’s youngest contestant is 18-year-old self-described diva, Hallie. She’s a trans woman and a youth worker who shared that “I speak my mind, but I’m also a very lovely person. I’m a girl’s girl, for sure. I’m honest, fun and, yeah, just brilliant.”
Hallie decided not to tell her housemates about her trans identity when she entered the Big Brother house. But last night’s episode (9 October) saw her come out to her fellow contestants as they gathered around the table.
“Hey guys, I just have something to say,” she began. “Yesterday, I feel like I wasn’t being 100 per cent authentic in myself.”
“I thought I’d let everyone know I’m trans, if you didn’t know already,” she continued. “I just thought I’d make that loud and clear. I’m a trans woman if you didn’t know.”
It was great to see her housemates show support, with some offering hugs and praising her courage.
“Good for you, that’s very brave of you,” said Chanelle, a dental therapist from Wales.
Commenting on this moment of unity between the housemates, Dylan, a DJ from Coventry stated: “This is a moment. I like it.”
When a relieved Hallie says “I don’t know why I was nervous”, this prompts Farida, a Wolverhamptom-based makeup artist to say “You don’t need to be nervous.”
Trish, a stay-at-home mum from Luton added: “We’ve got you.”
Hallie is not the first trans woman to enter the reality show. Nadia Ahmada won Big Brother in 2004 and trans man Luke Anderson won the 2012 series.
We look forward to seeing more from Hallie and the other contestants in the coming episodes.
Big Brother airs nightly – not including Saturdays – on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm.
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