Nikki GRAHAME dead: Nikki Grahame - who first rose to fame on Big Brother in 2006 - has died aged 38.
The Big Brother star passed away on Friday and her sad death was confirmed online by her close pal Leon Dee.
"It is with great sadness, we have to let you know that our dear friend Nikki passed away in the early hours of Friday 9th April."
Nikki began her battle with the eating disorder when she was just six-years-old. "I was doing gymnastics from the age of six and by the time I was seven, I started to feel self-conscious in my leotard," she told New! magazine in May 2009.
Fearing for their daughter, Nikki's parents admitted her to the children’s eating disorders unit at the Maudsley psychiatric hospital in London.
Nikki was released after six weeks, but things got worse and she was rushed to a hospital emergency unit and force-fed through a nasal tube.
After eight months at Collingham Gardens child and family psychiatric unit in west London, Nikki put on weight and returned home to Northwood.
When her weight dropped again, Nikki returned to Collingham Gardens before being transferred to a psychiatric and eating disorders ward in Great Ormond Street Hospital.
During one of her lowest points at the age of just 12, Nikki tried to take her own life.
Her weight dropped so low that she fell into a coma and doctors feared she was just minutes from death at one stage.
Nikki was force-fed from a tube stitched inside her stomach, but when conscious she continuously tried to remove the feeding apparatus. She was admitted to eating disorders clinic Rhodes Farm in Mill Hill, North London - and had a massive wake up call.
At the age of 16, she woke up one morning and bravely decided to fight back and began showing signs of improvement.
She relapsed again at the age of 18 and was taken to an adult eating disorder ward, while also developing OCD with a fear of germs.
Nikki was a contestant on Big Brother 7 in 2006 and came in fifth place. She became well known for her hilarious segments in the Diary Room. She then had her own reality show named Princess Nikki. In 2010 she appeared in Ultimate Big Brother and in 2015 she was on the 16th series of the show as a guest housemate. Nikki also starred in the Canadian version of the popular show.
*Credit mirror.co.uk for the story
Our thoughts are with Nikki's family, friends and fans at this sad time. We invite you to leave your tributes and share memories of Nikki below:
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