Nicola McLean was every bit the bold, bubbly personality fans remember from the Big Brother house. Holding the record for the most appearances in the iconic house (having taken part three times across various series) now that CBB is back on our screens for the next 3 weeks, Nicola speaks exclusively to WhichBingo and doesn’t hold back…
Read for her thoughts on this year’s lineup, insider secrets, and why she’d return to the house in a heartbeat.
What are you making of the new CBB season so far?
I’m really enjoying it so far. I think it’s going to be a good one. In past seasons, the launch night I don’t always love. It’s good to see the outfits and, if Big Brother’s has any secret tasks, but sometimes it can drag.
Then the second episode, they usually put a lot of the launch night in. So the first couple of episodes are usually a bit boring, but so far it really hasn’t been. So I think it’s going to be a good one.
Can you give some advice for this series’ housemates?
I mean, it’s an amazing experience and you get to do things that you would never get to do in normal adult life. Some of the tasks I did in Big Brother, I loved the silliness of them. The bowls of flour with stuff at the bottom. You’ve got to put your face in and try and get the stuff out of the bowls of flour… I mean, when are you ever doing stuff like that? So it’s fun and you should enjoy every minute of it.
I’ve never been on a girl’s trip or a wild holiday. I know people have this perception of me, which I do understand, but it’s really not correct. So I’ve never been away from my husband, so I treated Big brother like an 18-30 year old.
So it is super fun, but it is really tough in there. The no contact with the outside world is super tricky, not knowing what’s going on.
What is tricky too is the boredom! People never speak about the boredom on shows like that. But then in the day, when there is nothing to do, you’ve not got a phone, TV, book, not even a board game, you’ve got nothing.
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What do you think of the lineup? Do you know any of the housemates personally?
So I know Angelica Bell, and she’s fantastic. I’ve worked with her husband quite a lot because he used to do loads on Big Brother’s bit on the side back in the day.
And I also was in Australia with him when we did I’m A Celebrity Get Me out of Here Now. I’ve been on the show and I met Angelica through him. So she’s brilliant. She’s really good fun. We haven’t got to see her too much, but I think she’ll be a big character and she’s super nice, but I don’t think she’ll take any nonsense.
I’ve also met Trisha quite a few times. So I met her all those years ago when I appeared on her show and then again, when she did loads of Big Brother’s Bit on the Side. She’s such a nice woman. So I’ve met those two personally and I don’t think I’ve met anyone else.
Things got to a bit of an unusual start with Mickey. What do you think about that with AJ?
Yeah. It’s tricky, isn’t it! Because while you want to just say, she handled it really well, it was uncomfortable viewing. Women shouldn’t be subjected to that.
I don’t want to make this a feminist rant because it’s Big Brother, but men need to do better. We need to do better at calling it out. But AJ handed it like a boss, but she shouldn’t need to.
Women shouldn’t need to handle this all the time. But as I said, I don’t want to make it into a feminist rant because it is Big Brother, but it just shows you, doesn’t it? It’s just happening to women all the time you can’t look hot and not get leered on in an inappropriate way.
As the episode progressed you saw the real him, that’s why I don’t want to make it all the same thing. Because if we’re actually calling it out, we should be calling it out and saying men are normal men and nice men that still behave badly. So let’s park that because else it will be a whole feminist rant and then talk about him in the house.
Do you forget Cameras are rolling when in the Big Brother House? Do you think the American Housemates get what they’re doing?
Other reality stars, like when I was in there with Michael Madsen, who not like Mickey, was much more with it. But Michael had no clue what was going on. No clue whatsoever. Cowboy hat, cowboy boots. Like, just this cool guy who was clearly just in there for the paycheck, no idea what was going on.
It’s hilarious when they think the cameras aren’t rolling. Oh, so are we off now? And you’re like, no Michael! We’re still very much filming. So I love it when the Americans are in there and they. And they don’t have a clue. It’s brilliant.
Looking back to my series, I get Ray J vibes from Mickey. Ray J was always sleeping and you’re not allowed to. It’s in your contract. You’re not allowed to sleep during the day.
So I hope he doesn’t. But did you see when they were doing like, when they were. Last night’s episode, they were showing the time.
Do you see what time they make you go to bed?
It was like sort of four in the morning before they opened the bedroom and stuff.
Do you think anyone there’s got a game plan?
You know what annoys me more than anything about this game plan. It’s a game. So whether you’ve got a game plan to fly under the radar, plan to win, to be first out, it’s a game. Whatever game I play, I play it strategically. Do you know what I mean?
So I don’t know who’s got a game plan. I think it’s too early. But it would be pretty stupid to go into a game that is filmed 24/7 and put on the screens and not have one. I mean, let me tell you now, I had one and I couldn’t stick to it because I’m too raw and real. But good for you if you’re going in with a game plan and if you can execute it and stick to it, I admire you.
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Who do you think will be the first evicted on Friday?
I think that you don’t want to lose the big characters. Unfortunately, what can happen with these early evictions is you could lose a big character because they’ve been seen more.
So people have got more of an opinion. So it can work one way or another. I personally think Friday’s too early to put someone out.
Patsy Palmer seems lovely, but would you miss her? Not at this moment. I mean, the chat with Donna, I don’t think it was aired, it was on Late and Live when she says her real name is Julie.
And it’s the way she was doing it, like, as if it was a big secret like his episode of EastEnders. But, yeah, I mean, She could be at risk.
Jack got no airtime. Apparently he’s really funny. So I think it’s too early. I would have been devastated to go that quickly. I think, you know, if you get that opportunity, just let him have a week at least. It’s too soon, isn’t it? I feel sorry for anyone that goes, but there are a few more days and a few more edits and I think they’re overwhelmed.
So Donna, who’s a big character, might have just been that little bit overwhelmed and she’ll hopefully get a good edit. We’ll see.
It’s really hard to get air time there. It’s another thing when people say about this game plan,, you’ve got to think you go into this house with 12 other people.
To be a big character in there, you’ve really either got to be a massive character or you’ve really got to have balls. Because it is very easy to just go, do you know what? I’m just going to sit back.
But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Unless you’re me and have done it three times.
As a Mum, do you think it’s harder to go into a show like this?
Listen, I’m going to be honest and say I absolutely think it’s harder for parents depending on what sort of parent you are. I am still a massively like child led parent even though I’ve got a 19 and a 15 year old.
So to leave them for that period of time is just like soul destroying and the guilt you feel. I shouldn’t say that because we shouldn’t generalise, but I think for mums especially because they’re probably the ones that – well I was definitely the one that was always with the boys – and then suddenly went and left them for four weeks when I did the Jungle.
And then obviously with Big Brother, I didn’t see them for like three and a half weeks.
Which would you say is a tougher challenge, I’m a Celeb or Big Brother?
So I’d say physical toll, obviously the jungle because you’re not eating, you’re starving, so your body is worn. But mentally, Big Brother’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done mentally 100%.
Not knowing if Big Brother’s going to call you, not knowing if there’s going to be an eviction. You never know what you’re doing. And for someone who’s diagnosed anxiety disorder is probably not the best place for me, although I loved it.
I wake up in the morning, I say to my husband, what are we doing next? I write lists. I like to know what I’m doing. So to be in a place where every part, every bit of control is taken away from you is really, really tricky mentally.
If asked, would you go back into the CBB House?
Yeah, I’d run down there. Get that suitcase out of the garage. I’ve still got that celebrity Big Brother suitcase.
And I would get that packed and I would be running down to that house. I absolutely would do it. To sit on that chair again. I just love it.
Every now and then I’ll sit here and I’ll just think of things that I’ve done in the house. I’ve walked through treacle to then go into the bedroom, rip open pillows to find teddy bears. So much fluff all over me. Who gets to wade through treacle when you’re an adult? And the people I’ve met. I am a massive Spidey fan. Who would get to live with Spidey?
What is it like leaving the CBB house after having no contact with the outside world?
Yeah, I found it really tricky to even have my phone back. I almost didn’t want it. I found it really noisy with lots of people in the room and talking to you. I was like, ‘whoa’. It is quite an adjustment. And then after about a week, you’re just back to normal, as if nothing ever happened. But those first few days are really. I was quite subdued.
Are reality competition shows still relevant do you think?
I really do. In Big Brother, only a few people can actually go in there and act for us. And then they’ve made it shorter, which is annoying.
We were there for three and a bit weeks, I think. But I do think when you’re in there, it’s a heightened situation and you get to see people’s meltdown. I hope we get some meltdowns.
I mean, you’re never going to convince me that we can’t have Celebrity Big Brother. I’d just go in there and live there if you want me to. I’ll be the Late and Live constantly on a loop. So you can just watch what I get up to.
I do think that I don’t like the direction that it’s gone in. And that I shouldn’t really say that, probably, but I haven’t even been asked to go on one Big Brother: Late and Live, not even one. Not on the normal one, not on the celeb one, which I think is Crazy. Not just me like there’s loads of us.
They want the cool people on it, it’s definitely gone down a different vibe. They had Kate Lawler on it last night, which Is good, she knows the show inside out.
But I think that to get the old school people back on, I used to always be on Big Brother Bit on the Side with Rylan, where’s the petition to bring him back?
I mean, he is Big Brother, wrapped up in a bow. I think that we do need to bring the old school people back, but they’ve just done it a different way. They’ve got people on there that have never even done the show.
Yeah, but that’s my run. That’s my one rant of the day.
I know it is early into the series, but can you see a winner yet?
I think Trish will win it and I think quite rightly, understandably because of what’s going on in her life. At the minute, who would I like to win? It would be Danny Beard.
I mean, I just love a drag queen and anyone LGBTQ+, I’m there. I love the gays. I love the campness and the drag. That drag was unbelievable and funny.
When he had Donna in the storeroom with the beers and the nails. And she was a bit like, ‘oh’. I’m always gonna go for the flamboyant kind of character, but I get why Trisha would and should win it, if that makes sense.
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