unrecognisable

Big Brother continues to deliver plenty of drama and chaos as viewers are once again invested in another series

Big Brother’s first ever winner is looking almost unrecognisable decades on from their £70k success.

The hit social experiment has once again returned to screens, bringing with it plenty of drama and chaos as regular people from across the UK move in to the iconic house where they will live for several weeks.

However, before the reality show made its iconic return to ITV, Big Brother had originally launched on Channel 4 screens back in 2000, before making its way to Channel 5 during its third series in 2002.

There has been plenty of iconic moments throughout Big Brother, with the show remaining a firm favourite amongst viewers as housemates face brutal tasks and weekly evictions. But as a brand new series continues, with the new housemates hoping to leave their mark, we have taken a look back at the show’s first ever winner, including his most iconic moment.

Who won the first ever Big Brother?

Craig Phillips was the first ever contestant to win Big Brother UK back in 2000, making history from the launch show. The then-builder from Liverpool saw his life change after 64 days in the iconic house, winning a staggering £70,000 cash prize.

At just 28 years old at the time, Craig became a firm favourite in the Big Brother house where he stayed alongside Nick Bateman (then known as ‘nasty Nick’) as well as Melanie Hill. His success also continued when he won a National Television Award for Best Live Television Moment of the Year.

What did Craig Phillips do with his Big Brother prize money?

After winning the £70,000 cash prize, Craig decided to put his winnings to a good cause, donating it to his friend Joanna Harris who had Down’s Syndrome, to pay for her heart and lung transplant.

According to the official Craig Phillips website: “He had begun raising money with friends for Harris sometime before entering Big Brother, raising only small amounts of money towards the £250,000 needed for her operation in the USA, but within 6 days of winning he achieved the target required for her life saving operation thanks to public support and generous donations from celebrities.”

Craig has worked closely with a variety of charities, often taking part in fundraising events such as abseiling one of London’s tallest buildings as well as sky diving.

Where is Craig Phillips now?

Since his Big Brother success, Craig Phillips has far from faded from the spotlight. He has gone on to build a successful career as a property developer, DIY expert and television presenter, famed for popular shows such as 60 Minute Makeover and Trading Up.

He has also not been a stranger to reality TV, having raised £40,000 for charity from Back to Reality as well as appearing on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway

Fans may not have realised he turned his attention to music, releasing a charity single for Christmas 2000, which reached the charts, raising tens of thousands for the Down’s Syndrome Association.

Right now though, the former Big Brother winner lives in Spain with his family having also launched the Mr & Mrs DIY TV channel alongside wife Laura.

Craig Phillips’ most ‘iconic’ Big Brother moments

Arguably his most iconic moment was his confrontation with Nick Bateman, then nicknamed Nasty Nick. After Nick was seen breaking the rules, Craig gathered the housemates calling for an intervention before going face to face with his co-star.

Another iconic moment was causing mass panic on Ultimate Big Brother when he gate crashed and staged an eviction.

With millions of people tuning in to the live final, Craig made history winning the first ever Big Brother series as he stepped out to a huge crowned, later earning him the National Television Award.

Speaking to Channel 4 back in 2020, Craig was asked what it was like winning Big Brother as he replied: “This is a question I’ve been asked thousands of times and if I am being honest it’s so hard to answer! Because it was and still is the most surreal moment and experience, I’ve ever had!

“It was the ultimate combination of emotional highs as well as a scary situation to be in – once I’d stepped out the door I started to live a life that most people dreamed of having, almost the entire country knew my name and appeared to love me!

“Every A-List celeb I chatted to became my friend, people and companies were paying me obscene amounts of money to be associated with them, I had bodyguards that chauffeured me around day by day and we changed hotel every night for month and months!”

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX

THEY soared up the charts in the early noughties with an impressive rap cover of Bananarama’s We’re Really Saying Something.

Over two decades later, girl group Buffalo G may be a distant memory to the music industry, but one star has become very successful in her own right.

Formed of duo Naomi Lynch and Olive Tucker, Buffalo G were an Irish duo who disbanded shortly after the success of their rap hit.

Their song reached the UK top 20 Charts and peaked at #13 in the Irish charts.

Naomi is the sister of Boyzone’s Shane Lynch and B*Witched singers Edele and Keavy Lynch, but has disappeared from the spotlight herself since rising to fame in 2000.

However, her bandmate Olive has become a success in another sector – swapping rap for the hair industry.

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Olive is now a multi-award winning hairdresser and educator – often sharing snippets of her hair career online.

With 10K followers on Instagram regularly updates her fans with family and work life snaps.

She also has her own podcasts with her two sisters, dubbed Tuck In Sisters.

When it comes to her personal life, Olive shares 12-year-old daughter Lola – a budding dancer – and son Sonny, nine, with her husband.

Olive was just 17 at the time of her fame with Naomi, and the pair still follow one another on social media 26 years later – suggesting they are still in touch.

Naomi now works as a fire dancer and choreographer, travelling around the world for work.

She shares two sons with her TV producer husband, Rowland French.

A 90s POP star looked unrecognisable as he belted out his big hit at his daughter’s wedding.

The singer, now, 62, found fame thanks to his massive dance song back in the day – but can you guess who it is?

The star in question is Mark Carson Adams who goes by the stage name Duke.

The Newcastle singer is best known for his massive 1994 house anthem So In Love With You.

Mark thrilled guests at his daughter Faith’s wedding, when he took to the stage to perform his famous song.

Dressed in a black tux, the 90s star sang his famous dance tune, as he got the party started.

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At one point the bride and groom joined him on stage to dance, as their guests gathered around.

Mark’s daughter shared the moment on TikTok and playfully wrote over the top of the video: “When your dad decides to sing his 90s hit at your wedding and your friends are no.1 fans.”

The singer looked different to his 90s heyday, after ditching his moustache and goatee beard.

Mark was 30 when So In Love With You was released, and the song propelled him to stardom.

The smash hit dance tune was included on his 1995 album, The 10 Commandments Of Love. 

The song was also famously remixed by Fatboy Slim as Pizzaman and topped the US Billboard Dance chart in 1997.

Although So In Love With You remains his biggest hit to date, Mark has continued to perform.

The singer’s Instagram is filled with all the live events he has played at, plus all the shows he has coming up.

You can find out more about Faith on her TikTok and more on Duke on Spotify.

JENNIFER Lopez swapped her trademark super sexy red carpet glamour for a look straight out of The Gentlemen as she stepped out at fashion week.

The singer looked almost unrecognisable in a black velvet three-piece suit, complete with a crisp white shirt and tie, and a flat cap.

The 57 year old finished the look with knee-high leather boots and dark lipstick, giving a nod to the country house style worn by Maya Jama in the Netflix drama.

Maya, who plays Aisha in series two, is regularly seen wearing a flat cap and tweed in the hit series.

Earlier in the week, JLo rocked an altogether different look in Italy’s fashion capital, stepping out in head-to-toe leopard print.

She showed off her legs in a matching coat and skirt as she left her Milan hotel, finishing the outfit with dark sunglasses, heels and a black handbag. 

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A flurry of A-listers and models have descended on the Italian city for the various fashion shows, parties and events taking over for the next few days. 

The star has been spending time in Italy with her family over the past few weeks before getting back to work with her latest fashionable appearance at Fashion Week.

But ahead of Milan, she managed to enjoy some sun with a summer spent in various places across Europe.

Jennifer enjoyed a road trip around Italy with her two children, 18-year-old twins Max and Emme.

The currently single star documented the trip with posts to Instagram – and even met footballer Erling Haaland during her travels. 

AN 80s rock icon, who was once in a love triangle with Hollywood A-listers Brad Pitt and Christina Applegate, looked unrecognisable as he strolled through an airport.

This famous singer, now 58, passed by fellow travellers unnoticed – but can you guess who it is?

The rock star in question is none other than Sebastian Bach, known for the heavy metal band, Skid Row.

The group shot to fame almost four decades ago with hits like Youth Gone Wild and 18 and Life.

With his trademark long locks tied back in a ponytail, Sebastian strutted through LAX Airport with his haul of luggage in tow.

The rocker is currently on tour with Skid Row and fellow heavy metal band Twisted Sister, and was jetting into Los Angeles after playing in Oklahoma.

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Sebastian was dressed down for his flight and was wearing a black t-shirt and matching jogging bottoms.

The singer went unnoticed in the airport as he got ready to head home, before his next gig in Washington at the end of the month.

During his heyday, the rock legend was famously caught up in a love triangle with two of Hollywood’s now-elite stars.

The twice- married singer, who is currently wed to wife Suzanne Le, got in the middle of Brad Pitt and Christina Applegate‘s romance.

Known for his heartthrob status, back in 1989 Sebastian, who was 21 at the time, caught the eye of a 17-year-old Christina – who was dating rising star Brad Pitt, who was 25.

Things kicked off when the young couple attended the MTV Video Music Awards together that year.

However, despite having hunky Brad on her arm, Married With Children star Christina found her head had turned in the direction of Sebastian – and she ditched her date for the rocker.

Speaking in her memoir earlier this year, the actress told fans exactly what happened.

“I had spent all night staring at Bach, who was then a long-haired hunk fronting the band Skid Row,” she penned in her book, You With The Sad Eyes.

“I hate to put it like this, but Brad back then was still making his way as an actor, and he wasn’t yet THE Brad Pitt, the man of so many people’s dreams.”

Continuing, Christina wrote: “And it gets worse: Brad was left to sullenly drive my mom … home.

“Apparently, at a gas station on the way, Brad almost got into a fight with a bunch of gang members, and, not surprisingly, was subsequently very mad at me.”

The Dead To Me star also revealed that Brad didn’t speak to her after the incident for many years. – but added that they are “friends again” now.

“Eventually, we agreed that I’d been a kid, and though he deserved much better, it was time to forgive the child who dumped him for the lead singer of Skid Row,” Christina said.

“Of course, Brad is now THE Brad Pitt, and Sebastian Bach … well, he still has long hair, I guess.”

Sebastian also reflected on him stealing Christina, now 54, from Brad, now 63, and told Billboard earlier this year: “I was a single guy on tour, in a band, and I met a lot of girls and Iapologisee if I hurt her…If I hurt anybod,”.

“When you’re young you get thrown into the whirlwind of rock ‘n’ roll, meeting a lot of people and you’d better hold on tight.

“It’s like being on a roller coaster.

“It was a long time ago. If I hurt anybody, I apologise for it.”