'Big Brother' Contestants Who Have Passed Away
Since it launched in 2000, Big Brother has been one of the most popular reality TV series. The US series is the second longest running of all time, after the Spanish version. Through the years, there have been many contestants we have grown to love, while others have proven to be unforgettable villains. While the show may seem like good fun, there has been much tragedy away from the cameras.
A number of the show's contestants have passed away too soon, including those from several international versions and the celebrity editions. Keep reading to find out which Big Brother contestants have passed away.
10 Kent Blackwelder
Mortgage broker Kent Blackwelder was a contestant on Big Brother 2. Despite his conservative views and interests, he eventually softened during the series and befriended openly gay housemate Bunky Miller, which was a wholesome moment in a show famed for bitterness between contestants.
In 2017, Blackwelder sadly passed away after suffering a heart attack. He was 62.
9 Miriam Rivera
Model Miriam Rivera was ground-breaking in her native Mexico, having been recognized as the first openly trans reality TV personality. She appeared on the Australian version of Big Brother in 2004.
Tragically, Rivera was found dead at her home in Mexico in 2019. She was just 37. Although her death was ruled a suicide, her husband, Daniel Cuervo, believes Rivera was murdered as she had been receiving death threats.
8 Nikki Grahame
Nikki Grahame was a contestant on the UK version of Big Brother in 2006, an appearance that propelled her towards stardom. But her stint as a reality TV celeb was all too brief and blighted by Grahame's long term struggle with anorexia nervosa.
In April 2021, she lost her battle with anorexia, dying just one day after being discharged from hospital. She was 38.
7 Cassandra Waldon
Maryland native Cassandra Waldon appeared on Big Brother 1 in 2000, where she was the first person to ever walk into the Big Brother House.
In 2019, the 56-year-old was killed in a car crash in Rome, Italy. An employee of the United Nations, she had been in the country for work when the tragic accident occurred. Big Brother host Julie Chen paid tribute to Waldon on Instagram: "Thank you for bringing your intelligence, warmth and wisdom to the Big Brother house season 1."
6 Verne Troyer
Austin Powers star Verne Troyer competed on the celebrity edition of Big BrotherUK in 2009. Although he was a favorite to win, he actually came in 4th place.
Having suffered from alcoholism for many years, Troyer died in Los Angeles in 2018. He was 49. His death was ruled a suicide by the LA County Coroner's office.
5 Gordon Sloan
A housemate on the first ever season of the Australian Big Brother in 2001, architect Gordon Sloan died mysteriously in 2007. He had been on vacation in Beijing, China and, according to reports, he "collapsed in mysterious circumstances" at a nightclub. After being admitted to hospital, where he lay comatose, Sloan died less than 2 weeks later. He was 34.
Confused by their son's untimely death, his family believe that he may have been intentionally poisoned.
4 Sophia Brown
Banking assistant Sophia Brown was a housemate on Big Brother UK in 2009, having been evicted after 8 days.
Just 3 years after her appearance on the show, Brown passed away at the tender age of 30. Although no cause of death was officially released, she had suffered from the autoimmune disease Lupus since childhood.
3 Alphonso Williams
American singer Alphonso Williams actually competed on the German version of Big Brother in 2018. The Michigan native decided to stay in Germany, where he forged a new life for himself.
A fan favorite, his stardom was short-lived. Just one year after his appearance on the show, Williams died from prostate cancer. He was 57.
2 Dustin Diamond
In 2013, Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond competed on the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother, becoming the 4th housemate to be evicted.
In January of this year, fans were devastated when Diamond announced that he was battling stage 4 lung cancer. Just weeks later, the actor passed away from the illness. He was 44.
1 Jade Goody
A reality TV star in Britain, Jade Goody was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother UK in 2007. Her appearance on the show was highly controversial, as she racially bullied Indian housemate Shilpa Shetty, leading to widespread backlash from the public.
Two years later, the media perception of Goody shifted when she announced that she was terminally ill with cervical cancer. She died in March 2009, aged just 27. Her diagnosis and subsequent death have been credited with raising awareness of cervical cancer, thereby encouraging young women to get pap tests.
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