Big Brother fans have been left devastated after a surprising double eviction saw Reggie Bird evicted.
The television personality made a return to this year’s season of the reality competition show, after having won the third season in 2003.
Her 2003 win remains the largest margin in a Big Brother finale to date, having won with 72 per cent of the final vote after having been a favourite from early in the series.
Her win also marked her the first female winner of the Australian series, after Ben Williams and Peter Corbett won the first and second seasons, respectively.
After her win, Reggie filmed a pilot for a show that never aired, and starred as a contestant on the 2005 Nine Network celebrity skating competition series Skating on Thin Ice.
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As well as her appearances on Australian television, Reggie also worked as a flight attendant for Virgin Blue, and owned a fish and chippery with her former husband prior to starring on Big Brother’s third season.
In 2005, Bird tragically lost $40,000 to a conman, and, in 2008, underwent emergency surgery arising from an ectopic pregnancy. Reggie has also since been diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition.
As of 2022, Bird has only nine degrees of central vision left, and no peripheral or night vision.
In an interview with Who Australia, she spoke of her experience in the Big Brother house with retinitis pigmentosa, saying: "Once I got into the house and I could work my way around, I memorised where things were.
"And all the housemates were so lovely.”
Reggie now lives in Queensland with her two children, Mia, who is 15, and 12-year-old son Lucas, who has cystic fibrosis.
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About her return to Big Brother, Reggie said, in an interview with TV Week, “I couldn't say no – I love Big Brother so much. I wanted to do it for my kids."
In 2022, Reggie returned for the 14th season of Big Brother as one of eight returning housemates.
She was one of three former winners to enter the house, alongside Big Brother 4 winner Trevor Butler and Big Brother 10 winner Tim Dorner.
Talking to Who Australia, Reggie spoke of what’s next after her second Big Brother run, and it’s looking like not even a degenerative eye condition can hold her back.
“Nineteen years ago I said I was going to write a book and I didn’t do it,” she said.
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"So now is the time! I procrastinated and now I’m glad I have, because there is so much more to tell.
"I’d also love to do something on radio or do another TV show like Travel Guides or Gogglebox. I’d be hilarious!”
Topics: Australia, TV and Film
Stewart Perrie