Big Brother star Nikki Grahame dies aged 38
- Published
Former Big Brother star Nikki Grahame has died at the age of 38.
The TV personality had checked into a private hospital last month as she fought an eating disorder.
In a statement to the BBC, Grahame's manager confirmed she had died on Friday morning.
"It is with great sadness, we have to let you know that our dear friend Nikki passed away in the early hours of Friday, 9 April," he said.
"Please respect the privacy of Nikki's friends and family at this tragic and difficult time."
Former Big Brother presenter Davina McCall led the tributes, tweeting: "I am so desperately sad to hear about Nikki Grahame. My thoughts are with her friends and family xx she really was the funniest, most bubbly sweetest girl."
If you are affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line and the charity Beat Eating Disorders.
Grahame took part in the seventh series of Big Brother in 2006.
She was hugely popular with viewers, and was voted back into the house four weeks after she was first evicted. She subsequently finished in fifth place.
After her appearance on Big Brother, she won a National Television Award for most popular TV contender.
Grahame returned to the house in 2010 to take part in Ultimate Big Brother, the final series of the show to be broadcast on Channel 4.
The series saw several popular Big Brother contestants from over the years return to take part in one final series, before the show moved to Channel 5. Grahame finished in second place.
By this time, she had developed her career as a popular TV personality, and starred in her own reality TV series called Princess Nikki.
She also guest-starred on programmes such as the Friday Night Project and as a contestant on celebrity editions of shows such as Pointless and The Weakest Link.
Grahame's battle with anorexia was well documented, and she released a book about her eating disorder in 2009.
Last month, a fundraising page was set up, which asked fans to donate towards her recovery.
The page said the 38-year-old was in "a very bad way" and needed treatment in a rehabilitation centre. Several Big Brother figures including former winner Rylan Clark-Neal retweeted the appeal for donations.
On Saturday, the page was updated to announce the news of Grahame's death.
"It breaks our hearts to know that someone who is so precious was taken from us at such a young age," it said. "Nikki not only touched the lives of millions of people, but also her friends and family who will miss her immensely."
Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.