Nadia Almada
Encyclopedia
Nadia Conceicao Almada (born Jorge Leodoro 28 January 1977) is a Madeira
n-born UK reality television
star, best known for being the first transsexual winner of Big Brother
in series 5 in 2004.
always said Almada was her favourite housemate of all time.
entitled "A Little Bit of Action
", which reached Number 27 in the UK Singles Chart
in December 2004. She also made a guest appearance in the soap opera Hollyoaks
turning on the Christmas Lights. She entered the Big Brother Australia house visiting the three finalists during week 14 and has made various appearances on televised chat shows and game shows. In 2008 she co presented The Big Brother Launch Night Project on the launch night of Big Brother 9. She took part in Celebrity Fitness Videos Not Fit For TV, which was hosted by Lorraine Kelly
and Eamon Holmes. The show featured celebrities performing Almada's own Latino inspired Dance/Fitness video, Latino Dance Workout, which she released in 2004.
In 2005, Almada was a contestant on the Channel Five reality show, Trust Me...I'm A Holiday Rep. Almada was a replacement for Britain's Next Top Model contestant Jasmine Lennard. The following year she was a celebrity guest on a four-day stay on Channel 4's reality TV show, Fool Around With...; her goal was to decipher who out of several male contestants was single, enabling them to win £10,000. In an interview with Heat
magazine in June 2009, Almada revealed that she is writing her memoirs. In 2010, to mark the end of Big Brother in the UK, she appeared on a Big Brother winners special of Channel 4 show Come Dine With Me
, with Big Brother winners Brian Dowling
, Brian Belo
and Sophie Reade. Almada finished in third place.
- who had won the eleventh and final series
earlier that night - that her boyfriend John James Parton did not really like her, Josie left the house via the fire exit less than 48 hours later, Almada was blamed for this, she later had blazing rows with Coolio
and told Big Brother in the Diary Room "it's either him or me!", Coolio was removed from the house shortly afterwards, it has since been revealed that Coolio had made transphobic comments towards her, none of which were broadcast http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/big-brother/big-brothers-nadia-almada-in-suicide-bid/. She later had a blazing row with Ulrika Jonsson
over a plate Ulrika accidentally smashed, viewers labelled Almada a bully after this row. She was nominated for eviction on Day 8, and was evicted with 33.3% of the public vote in a double eviction after Makosi Musambasi on Day 11. Upon receiving a negative reception from the crowd, Almada broke down in tears during her post-eviction interview with Davina. Later that night, she did not appear on Big Brother's Big Mouth (a standard expectation of evicted housemates). She also did not make an appearance on Big Brother's Little Brother on 5 September (another expectation of evicted housemates). She was the only Ultimate Big Brother housemate not to attend the final on 10 September 2010. It has been reported since she left the house that she is to take legal action against Channel 4
for not broadcasting Coolio's alleged offensive language. She has also stated that the show has made her consider suicide
.http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/big-brother/big-brothers-nadia-almada-in-suicide-bid/
. She has also managed a children's bookstore. Before appearing on Big Brother, she worked as a cashier in Barclays bank. Her father, Luis, did not know his child was transsexual until The Sun
newspaper tracked him down and revealed the story. The Sun also dubbed Almada the Portugeezer, the "Portuguese Man O' War" and Nads, 'nads' being a slang
term for gonads (testicles). Her mother had not seen her for a year, since before Almada's transition
, but was there to welcome her back into the outside world after the show concluded.
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
n-born UK reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
star, best known for being the first transsexual winner of Big Brother
Big Brother (UK)
Big Brother UK is the British version of the Dutch Big Brother television format, which takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
in series 5 in 2004.
Big Brother
Almada competed in the fifth series of Big Brother in 2004; she kept her gender reassignment operation a secret from fellow contestants although viewers were informed. After 71 days in the Big Brother House, she emerged as the winner, securing 74% of the overall vote and winning £63,500. She had regularly topped polls as the public's favourite Big Brother winner. Big Brother presenter Davina McCallDavina McCall
Davina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
always said Almada was her favourite housemate of all time.
Life after Big Brother
Almada went on to record a singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
entitled "A Little Bit of Action
A Little Bit of Action
"A Little Bit of Action" was UK Big Brother winner, Nadia Almada's first and only single so far. Released on 29 November 2004, it peaked inside the UK Singles Chart at number twenty-seven....
", which reached Number 27 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in December 2004. She also made a guest appearance in the soap opera Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
turning on the Christmas Lights. She entered the Big Brother Australia house visiting the three finalists during week 14 and has made various appearances on televised chat shows and game shows. In 2008 she co presented The Big Brother Launch Night Project on the launch night of Big Brother 9. She took part in Celebrity Fitness Videos Not Fit For TV, which was hosted by Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
and Eamon Holmes. The show featured celebrities performing Almada's own Latino inspired Dance/Fitness video, Latino Dance Workout, which she released in 2004.
In 2005, Almada was a contestant on the Channel Five reality show, Trust Me...I'm A Holiday Rep. Almada was a replacement for Britain's Next Top Model contestant Jasmine Lennard. The following year she was a celebrity guest on a four-day stay on Channel 4's reality TV show, Fool Around With...; her goal was to decipher who out of several male contestants was single, enabling them to win £10,000. In an interview with Heat
Heat (magazine)
Heat is a British entertainment magazine published by German company Bauer Media Group. it is one of the biggest selling magazines in the UK, with a regular circulation over half a million. Its mix of celebrity news, gossip and fashion is primarily aimed at women, although not as directly as in...
magazine in June 2009, Almada revealed that she is writing her memoirs. In 2010, to mark the end of Big Brother in the UK, she appeared on a Big Brother winners special of Channel 4 show Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
, with Big Brother winners Brian Dowling
Brian Dowling
Brian Patrick Robert Dowling is an Irish television presenter who rose to fame after being crowned the winner of the second series of UK reality television show Big Brother in 2001. He also won Ultimate Big Brother in 2010, making him the ultimate Big Brother housemate...
, Brian Belo
Brian Belo
Olawale Mohammed "Brian" Belo is a Nigerian entertainer, raised in Basildon, Essex. He first came to the public's attention by winning the eighth series of the British version of Big Brother. Since the programme, he has become an internet columnist for Heat magazine, a TV segment entertainer for...
and Sophie Reade. Almada finished in third place.
Ultimate Big Brother
On 24 August 2010, Almada entered the Big Brother house in Ultimate Big Brother, she immediately lost fans when she told Josie GibsonJosie Gibson
Josie Diane Shirley Gibson is a British media personality, and former financial sales rep from Bristol. She rose to prominence after winning Big Brother 2010, and entered Ultimate Big Brother...
- who had won the eleventh and final series
Big Brother 2010 (UK)
Big Brother 2010 was the eleventh regular series of the British reality television series, Big Brother and the final series to be broadcast on Channel 4. The series was launched on Wednesday 9 June 2010, and was aired on Channel 4 and E4 for 77 days with the finale on 24 August 2010, where Josie...
earlier that night - that her boyfriend John James Parton did not really like her, Josie left the house via the fire exit less than 48 hours later, Almada was blamed for this, she later had blazing rows with Coolio
Coolio
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. , better known by the stage name Coolio, is an American musician, rapper, actor and record producer.-Late 80s:He recorded two singles in the late 80s, titled "Watcha Gonna Do" and "You're Gonna Miss Me"...
and told Big Brother in the Diary Room "it's either him or me!", Coolio was removed from the house shortly afterwards, it has since been revealed that Coolio had made transphobic comments towards her, none of which were broadcast http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/big-brother/big-brothers-nadia-almada-in-suicide-bid/. She later had a blazing row with Ulrika Jonsson
Ulrika Jonsson
Eva Ulrika Jonsson is a Swedish television presenter in the UK, who became famous as a TV-am weather presenter and moved on to present Gladiators and became a team captain of the show Shooting Stars.-Early life:...
over a plate Ulrika accidentally smashed, viewers labelled Almada a bully after this row. She was nominated for eviction on Day 8, and was evicted with 33.3% of the public vote in a double eviction after Makosi Musambasi on Day 11. Upon receiving a negative reception from the crowd, Almada broke down in tears during her post-eviction interview with Davina. Later that night, she did not appear on Big Brother's Big Mouth (a standard expectation of evicted housemates). She also did not make an appearance on Big Brother's Little Brother on 5 September (another expectation of evicted housemates). She was the only Ultimate Big Brother housemate not to attend the final on 10 September 2010. It has been reported since she left the house that she is to take legal action against Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
for not broadcasting Coolio's alleged offensive language. She has also stated that the show has made her consider suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/big-brother/big-brothers-nadia-almada-in-suicide-bid/
Personal life
Almada was born male on the Portuguese island of Madeira, under the name of Jorge Leodoro, but was known as Carlos. Almada moved to England in 1996 and worked in a department store in WokingWoking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
. She has also managed a children's bookstore. Before appearing on Big Brother, she worked as a cashier in Barclays bank. Her father, Luis, did not know his child was transsexual until The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper tracked him down and revealed the story. The Sun also dubbed Almada the Portugeezer, the "Portuguese Man O' War" and Nads, 'nads' being a slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term for gonads (testicles). Her mother had not seen her for a year, since before Almada's transition
Transitioning (transgender)
Transitioning is the process of changing one's gender presentation to accord with one's internal sense of one's gender - the idea of what it means to be a man or woman...
, but was there to welcome her back into the outside world after the show concluded.
External links
- Nadia Almada - Biography" IMDb, Retrieved 31 March 2007
- Press For Change: UK: Nadia's Conundrum (Digital Spy)