Above and left: Reminiscing over Big Brother
AS BIG BROTHER RETURNS TO CHANNEL 5, WE HAVE A GIRLS’ NIGHT IN WITH ITS MOST INFAMOUS HOUSEMATES...
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!
‘We’re different people now’ 4
A
rriving at our sleepover-themed photo shoot with three of Big Brother’s biggest names – Makosi Musambasi, Kinga Karolczak and Michelle Bass – you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be a drama fest. Big Brother contestants are known for throwing tantrums (Nikki Grahame), going gaga over boys (Chanelle Hayes) and generally having meltdowns – stand up Vanessa Feltz. But instead of fi nding a bunch of attentionseeking wannabes we’re surprised to discover the atmosphere is chilled, calm and surprisingly friendly! Michelle is munching on crisps and humming along to Beyoncé, Kinga is chasing around the make-up artist’s two Chihuahuas, Bambi and Rocks, while Makosi is sitting quietly texting her boyfriend. It’s a world away from the backstabbing and bitching we’re used to seeing from the contestants. But the girls all happily admit they’ve “grown up” a lot since appearing on the show that made them a household name and we
have a sneaky suspicion it might be down to falling in love. Michelle is happily married to hypnotherapist Steve McKeown, while Kinga and Makosi are loved up in long-term relationships. But rewind a few years and things were very different. Back in series five, Michelle was busy romping with her “chicken Stu” under the dining table and brawling with other housemates. ‘When I look back I can’t believe some of the things I did,’ the Newcastle girl admits. ‘But I was only 23 back then, of course I’d do things differently now.’ Kinga and Makosi starred in BB6 a year later and became memorable – in Kinga’s case over an incident with that bottle. ‘I’ll always be known as the girl that humped a wine bottle,’ Kinga shrugs. ‘It wasn’t my fi nest moment but who can look back on life and say they haven’t got any regrets?’ As Makosi, the self-confessed “African girl child”, cradles a cup of tea and tucks into some Rich Tea biscuits, she readily admits she was hard to handle on the show too. ‘I admit I was playing a game on the show,’ she says. ‘It’s survival of the fittest and I wanted to win.’ Despite her steely exterior, Makosi later breaks down during our interview. But we’re not sure if her tears are genuine or just another game plan… Michelle and Makosi both agreed to appear on Ultimate Big Brother last year to set the record straight, but Kinga opted out saying taking part in the show again would “ruin her life”. We chat to the girls about their experiences on Britain’s biggest reality TV show. Be prepared for tears, confessions and plenty of drama…
Makosi Musambasi, 30
‘My boyfriend is 20 years older than me’
You’re most famous for the hot tub incident with Anthony Hutton. What really went on under the bubbles? It’s something I defi nitely regret and I’ve learnt that cider really isn’t my drink! It was just a bit of fun and we got a bit carried away. That’s all I’m going to say! Why did you think you were pregnant? In my head the situation was something that spiralled and I thought there was a chance I could be pregnant. I’m a person who likes a drama. I’m good at creating fiction! You seem very loved up. Tell us about your boyfriend. Well he’s 50 so there’s a 20-year age gap. But I really like mature men. He’s just very OK.CO.UK
5