Adele recalls the iconic way she heard trans icon Nadia Almada win Big Brother
Adele listened to Big Brother’s Nadia win the show during a phone call from Greece. (Getty)
Grammy-winning songstress Adele has proved once again that she is a woman of the people, revealing that she was so obsessed with Big Brother that she went to extreme lengths to keep up with the show.
During a recent show at her ongoing Las Vegas residency, Adele was gushing about the heyday of reality TV, praising early competition shows like Big Brother and Pop Idol, revealing that she once phoned the UK from Greece so that she could listen to trans icon Nadia Almada win the series in 2004.
“I used to be obsessed,” she told the crowd in her signature London accent. “Maybe it was my age, I was like 13 or 14. Maybe it was that, but also it just felt like brilliant television ‘cos no one was trying to be famous.”
She revealed that she no longer watches reality shows, as she doesn’t like seeing people cynically trying to become famous. However, when Nadia Almada became the first trans woman to win Big Brother UK in 2004, Adele made sure she did whatever she could to hear the result live.
“I was thinking about one time when I was in Greece with my best friend Laura when I was like 15. It was the final of Big Brother in the UK, and like I was saying earlier, things weren’t streamed then,” she explained.
“So we were on the pone with her mum, who was in England, listening to the Big Brother final down the f*****g phone, right.
“That’s how into it we were,” she added. “That was the year that a lady called Nadia won, and she was the first transgender contestant to ever win.”
In addition to listening to Nadia take the Big Brother crown, the “Hello” singer revealed that she spent an absurd amount of money trying to ensure gay musicians Will Young won singing contest Pop Idol in 2002.
“I remember also when Will Young, who was our first Pop Idol winner – when he won my telephone bill, my landline bill, was £500.”
Either Adele is a huge Will Young fan, or she had a particular vendetta against Gareth Gates.
Though Adele might not be watching, Big Brother UK returned to our TV screens this week (8 October) after five years away.
Nadia Almada may have been the first trans winner, but it’s very possible that the current season could also see a trans housemate crowned, as 18-year-old youth worker Hallie has become a strong fan favourite.
During Monday night’s episode (9 October), Hallie revealed that she is a trans woman, and was embraced lovingly by her housemates, who all shared their pronouns in response.
Big Brother continues on ITV 2 at 9pm, Monday through to Friday.
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