Nadia Almada

Winner Season Five: 2004

‘Why did I go in for Big Brother? I did it to tell my story and the story of people like me who have had a sex change. As it turned out, a lot of people were genuinely interested, and I think it made a big impact on people’s attitude towards sex change. And there are a lot of vulnerable people out there who needed the medical, rather than social, message that it was OK to have a sex change. Since winning, I’ve done some acting, including Hollyoaks. I’ve written fashion columns and done a bit of presenting, but now I’m thinking of going back to Madeira, where my family lives, to set up a fashion business with a friend of mine. There are a lot of marvellous embroiderers there – my mum makes beautiful drawn threadwork tablecloths for instance. My whole family has always been extraordinarily supportive of what I have done and what I have achieved so far.’