Latest news with #AliBromley
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'I came out in my 30s, there's no timeframe for figuring out who you are'
Ali Bromley is the 2024 winner of Big Brother UK, making history as the British edition's first ever lesbian victor. The reality star joins Yahoo's Queer Voices to discuss her experience on the series, queer representation in reality TV, and the fight required against ignorance and fear. It felt important while I was in the Big Brother House to share parts of my identity. Part of that was that I'm a late-to-life lesbian, and it took me quite a long time to work out all the aspects of my identity. I was quite open on the show about being married to a man before. It felt important to be open about those experiences because I'm sure that there are people watching who have those experiences, and it's representation that we don't often see. And something that I spoke about on the show is that you can't be what you can't see, and that's what felt important to me. The advice that I would give to young people who are trying to work out parts of their identity, particularly concerning their sexuality, is just to take your time. Don't put any pressure to put a label on yourself and work out exactly where you fit within the queer umbrella. Look for people who look like you, talk like you, act like you, find safe spaces to spend time with other queer people. Never feel under pressure to come out to someone if that's not safe or you don't feel welcome or comfortable. There is no time frame for figuring out who you are. I'm a really good testimony to that. I only came out when I was in my 30s. And also enjoy all aspects of figuring out who you are. It's a really difficult time. We are living in a world where there is increasing pressure from the Right to crack down on the queer community, particularly our trans siblings, and nobody should feel pressured to do anything outside of their own time frames. But the beautiful thing about the LGBTQIA+ community is that we come together really well, and there is some beauty in that coming together, especially in the face of adversity. So be you, be proud and keep going. It's been months since I left Big Brother, and it's been amazing to come out and see the reception that I've received. I've heard from supporters of the show who let me know that seeing somebody who was openly lesbian in the Big Brother house who's spoken about their experiences as a neurodivergent queer person was important for them to feel represented, to be seen on television. And that's felt really incredible because it's something that I didn't have when I was younger growing up. There was no one really like me on television. I also received lots of messages from people from all different age groups saying that because of seeing me on the show they were able to, for example, come out to their parents, their families. They were able to put me on the television and say 'this is who I am, this is somebody who has the same experiences as me'. But I also receive messages from people who are much older, who at the age of 50, for example, were able to come out and start living more authentically as themselves. Big Brother is a show that champions people from the queer community. Obviously, during 2023's Big Brother we had Jordan and Henry, and we were able to watch their romance develop. In my season there was myself, Dean, Dave and Martha who were from the queer community, and more recently in Celebrity Big Brother we've had JoJo Siwa and Danny Beard. This is queer representation that's really important. People from all demographics all within the queer umbrella, reality TV can be a safe space for queer people to be seen, and Big Brother is one of those places. But across the board, usually, on reality TV we're not very visible. It's really important that people from the queer community are seen on reality TV because we're not seen often in other parts of the mainstream media. Reality TV shows allow us to show who we are, they allow us to have conversations about who we are, also they create situations where we're meeting people who don't often meet people like us and that fosters conversation that can lead to learning and lead to understanding. Certainly it was something that I experienced with people writing to me, to the show, saying that it was helpful for them to see a queer person who was normal so they could show that we're just people like everybody else, living our lives, and we have the same experiences as other people. When I was growing up, there wasn't much on television that showed queer people, particularly lesbians. There was The L Word, I think that was the only representation of lesbians when I was a little bit younger, trying to work out who I was and work out my identity. I think, actually, it was the advance in the development of social media that helped me to understand myself and my identity. Because all of a sudden you're being exposed to a whole world of people that you wouldn't necessarily meet in your everyday life. And that's important because it can help you to understand that there are possibilities outside of the heteronormative relationships that are shown ordinarily on mainstream television. When I was growing up, there was a real absence of queer people in the media for me to look up to for role models, but in the present day I'm really inspired by the drag community. So we have our favourites. Danny Beard, Tia Kofi, these people really inspire me because they live so authentically as themselves, and they're able to celebrate parts of themselves that are really beautiful, really artistic, super creative. I think we as queer people are getting more room to share our stories, but again I think it isn't so clear. People are allowed a platform and we are getting spaces to be who we are on television, and Big Brother has always been quite queer as we've discussed. We've got queer dating shows and even on mainstream dating shows you're getting the odd queer couple slip through like on Married at First Sight. But it is in silo, it's not in mainstream TV. There's not that many people, for example, on morning breakfast shows or news shows that are openly queer. So it seems to be that we find our spaces and we sit there, which is fab, and it gives people the opportunity to see us. But I certainly think there is room for improvement, particularly given the current climate in terms of the Supreme Court ruling regarding the definition of a 'woman'. The rulings seem to be backed by ignorance or fear, or even anger and hatred, I think. All we can do is keep donating to charities that are pushing for legal challenges, for example, to the Supreme Court ruling, showing up to protests, sharing information on social media, and then on a smaller level having conversations with our friends and family about the situation. As it stands, there's a very small minority of people that are being scapegoated for a much larger issue, which is male violence towards women, which trans people are not responsible for. So I think there's lots of things that can be done on a wider level, but also on a sort of micro level within families, friends, the conversations that you have — even writing to your local MP and donating to charity.
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Big Brother winner Ali Bromley says 'someone tried to punish me severely' over Palestine shirt
Ali Bromley took to social media on Tuesday to claim her watermelon t-shirt wearing scene on Big Brother saw people unrelated to the show try to 'punish me severely' Big Brother star Ali Bromley has clarified her support for Palestine on the show, claiming she was silenced at the time. During her time on the reality contest last year, she wore a t-shirt depicting watermelon imagery - a symbol of Palestine solidarity - and after that, the episode was removed from the ITV hub. Watermelon imagery is often used to communicate solidarity with the Palestinians thanks to the fruit's colours matching the Palestinian flag. After the Arab-Israeli war in 1967, it became illegal to publicly display the Palestinian flag in Israel. Ali, a forensic psychologist, has now commented on the situation after previous confirmation the episode had been pulled "due to compliance reasons." Originally, after leaving the house, she said she was "glad ITV apologised" for airing her wearing the shirt. Now, Ali says: "Almost a year ago, I wore a Palestine t-shirt on TV as an act of peaceful solidarity. Behind the scenes (unrelated to itv or big brother), someone in a position of significant power tried to punish me severely for it, attempting to turn a simple expression of support into something far more serious. "At first, I was scared and had no idea how to navigate it. I was effectively, gagged. But as the weeks went on, I continued to show my support anyway, resolving that whatever the consequence I'd rather persevere than be quietened." She continued: "That's what we should all do when we believe in justice. While I can't share too much about what happened (I'll take some advice and see if I can), I can say that after a long and difficult process - the case finally thrown out and I won. Again. "Moving forwards I will continue to show my support for Palestine, proudly and without fear." She followed up her Instagram Stories comment to say: "As in my statement, I emphasise again that this person is unrelated to big brother and in fact has no connections to television or broadcasting at all. "When I figure out how and where to share - I will." She ended with a single red love heart emoji. At the time, the Campaign Against Antisemitism said the graphic on the t-shirt "caused significant distress among the British Jewish community". They also revealed they had submitted a complaint to Ofcom, saying: "How did the show's staff allow this shirt to be worn, let alone broadcast it on national television? This incident represents a serious violation of broadcasting standards." However, Ali was supported by viewers online. One user on Twitter /X wrote: "Ali should be applauded for these t-shirts btw, first a trans rights are human rights shirt and a Palestine one. Honestly queen s**t right there." Another also praised the reality star, saying praised Ali, saying: "I love how she's brought in both pro-Palestine and pro-trans shirts, I just love this woman actually." One more said: "Ali wearing a Palestine-shaped watermelon tee. They could never make me hate her." At the time, ITV didn't confirmed the exact reason why the show was removed. It was later e-edited and re-uploaded, with "compliance reasons" mentioned. However, in response to a viewer who asked where the episode had gone, ITV insisted it would be available again a few hours later. The broadcaster later posted: "Thank you for reaching out to us today. Hope you are well. Regarding your question about last night's Big Brother show, we have some news, it will be available to view later this evening. We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this but the wait will be worth it."
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Big Brother star reveals she's split from ex who appeared on show – and reveals new partner
ONE of the stars of Big Brother has seemingly admitted that she's split from show ex and has apparently revealed her new partner. Ali Bromley, 38, won the second ITV instalment of the iconic social media experiment in 2014. 6 6 6 Before entering the Big Brother house, the Forensic Psychologist was in a relationship with her girlfriend named Cherelle for five months. Ali was seen breaking down in tears on-screen when her girlfriend called into the house in the phone task. Her partner also appeared on Late & Live as Ali claimed that she was going to use the prize money to fund her IVF journey. However, it appears the duo have split up if Ali's social media is anything to go by. On her Instagram story, she hosted a question and answer session for her fans. In a session titled 'Help Ali', one follower asked the star if her long-time girlfriend would be attending an event. However, Ali posted an image of herself snuggling together with a completely different woman. She also captioned the image: "If she is, it might be awkward." One fan posted the image on social media fan forum site Reddit as they seemed intrigued by her romantic situation. The user wrote: "Does this mean Ali isn't with Cherelle anymore? That doesn't look like her in the pic and the caption suggests they're not?" Watch dramatic moment Big Brother housemate threatens to QUIT show Other images have also been posted to the site on her story which shows the new pair soaking up the sunshine together. Her biggest fans flooded the comments section of the post as they think the pair did split up. One user noted: "They're no longer together. That's somebody called Natasha." A second stated: "Ali mentioned it on a podcast that she's got a new girlfriend. Big Brother 2024 cast A brand new batch of Big Brother housemates are living it up in the famous compound. Meet the cast of the 2024 series: Rosie, 29, dental assistant from Cornwall. Emma, 53, aesthetics business owner from Altrincham. Segun, 25, charity videographer from Watford. Nathan, 24, pork salesman from Dumfries. Daze, 24, climate activist from London. Khaled, 23, sales manager from Manchester. Martha, 26, NHS administrator from Scarborough. Lily, 20, Chinese takeaway server from Warrington. Ali, 30, Forensic psychologist from London. Thomas, 20 amputee footballer from Carlisle. Ryan, 28, marketing and events from Stockport. Hannah, 24, HR consultant from West London. Izaaz, 29, sales consultant from London. Sarah, 27, spa account manager from Shrewsbury. Marcello, 34, youth mentor from East London. Dean, 35, barber from East London "But I did see rumours on a comment section like a month or two before that on a TikTok that Ali has a new girlfriend." While a third claimed: "Yeah, there was a thread about this the other day. Ali has a new gf." The Sun has contacted representatives of Ali for comment. 6 6 6
The Irish Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Big Brother return date ‘revealed' as bosses plan extended 25th anniversary special
BIG Brother's return date to ITV has been 'revealed' - with bosses reportedly planning an extended 25th anniversary run. The groundbreaking reality show launched on Channel 4 in 2000, with different iterations airing over the years. 4 Big Brother may be extending its run for the 25th Anniversary Credit: Rex 4 The iconic reality show debuted in 2000 - with different iterations over the years Credit: Rex 4 Ali Bromley took home the victory in 2024 Credit: Rex After a hiatus from screens, ITV ultimately revived the programme back in 2023. To date, there have been two new Celebrity Big Brother. According to ITV bosses are reportedly to extend the upcoming series in honour of the show's 25th Anniversary. Dates listed by the production company, Banijay, suggest the next series may launch on either Sunday, November 28th or Monday, September 29th. Read more on Big Brother In turn, this would potentially see the run conclude on Friday, November 14. Although ITV have not confirmed dates as of yet, these dates would see the upcoming series run for seven weeks. Each of the last two civilian series have aired on screens for six weeks in total. The most recent civilian edition saw forensic psychologist Ali Bromley Most read in Reality It meant Marcello Spooks finished as runner-up while fellow housemate Segun took £10k from the pot in a previous eviction task. Meanwhile, the previous series saw popular Jordan Sangha Big Brother 2024 winner Last year, it was revealed at Garden Studios in West London. The iconic compound subsequently moved to West London 's Titan Studios for the 2025 celebrity series. Meanwhile, the programme has seen history . Davina McCall served as host during Big Brother 's decade-long tenure on Channel 4 . Upon the show's move to Channel 5, past winner Brian Dowling took over presenting duties. Big Brother's Return Big Brother has returned to our screens. AJ Odudu and Will Best are hosting the much-loved show. The return of Big Brother marks a revival of one of the most iconic reality TV shows. The show will bring back its classic challenges and format, promising to entertain a new generation of viewers. AJ Odudu is set to bring her dynamic presenting style to the show, alongside co-host Will Best, ensuring a fresh and engaging viewing experience. AJ and Will are set to breathe new life into Big Brother, combining nostalgia with contemporary twists to captivate audiences once again. He would later be succeeded by Emma Willis, who saw out the Channel 5 run. Emma presented her last series in 2018 - and it was originally believed to be the show's final chapter. AJ Odudu and ITV . Big Brother airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 4 Ali with Big Brother hosts AJ and Will Credit: Rex
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Big Brother return date ‘revealed' as bosses plan extended 25th anniversary special
BIG Brother's return date to ITV has been 'revealed' - with bosses reportedly planning an extended 25th anniversary run. The groundbreaking reality show launched on Channel 4 in 2000, with different iterations airing over the years. 4 4 After a hiatus from screens, ITV ultimately revived the programme back in 2023. To date, there have been two new civilian series as well as two instalments of Celebrity Big Brother. According to MailOnline, ITV bosses are reportedly to extend the upcoming series in honour of the show's 25th Anniversary. Dates listed by the production company, Banijay, suggest the next series may launch on either Sunday, November 28th or Monday, September 29th. In turn, this would potentially see the run conclude on Friday, November 14. Although ITV have not confirmed dates as of yet, these dates would see the upcoming series run for seven weeks. Each of the last two civilian series have aired on screens for six weeks in total. The most recent civilian edition saw forensic psychologist Ali Bromley emerge as the winner and walk away with a £90,000 prize. It meant Marcello Spooks finished as runner-up while fellow housemate Segun took £10k from the pot in a previous eviction task. Meanwhile, the previous series saw popular Jordan Sangha claiming victory. Big Brother 2024 winner Last year, it was revealed the TV abode was leaving its home at Garden Studios in West London. The iconic compound subsequently moved to West London 's Titan Studios for the 2025 celebrity series. Meanwhile, the programme has seen several presenters throughout its 25-year history. Davina McCall served as host during Big Brother's decade-long tenure on Channel 4. Upon the show's move to Channel 5, past winner Brian Dowling took over presenting duties. Big Brother's Return Big Brother has returned to our screens. AJ Odudu and Will Best are hosting the much-loved show. The return of Big Brother marks a revival of one of the most iconic reality TV shows. The show will bring back its classic challenges and format, promising to entertain a new generation of viewers. AJ Odudu is set to bring her dynamic presenting style to the show, alongside co-host Will Best, ensuring a fresh and engaging viewing experience. AJ and Will are set to breathe new life into Big Brother, combining nostalgia with contemporary twists to captivate audiences once again. He would later be succeeded by Emma Willis, who saw out the Channel 5 run. Emma presented her last series in 2018 - and it was originally believed to be the show's final chapter. AJ Odudu and Will Best have fronted the programme since its revival on ITV. Big Brother airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 4
