The first housemate to get kicked out of the Big Brother house for his manipulative behaviour is living a life far away from what we saw on our screens 25 years ago
Now the iconic contestant is completely unrecognisable (Image: Channel 4)
As the UK gather around their screens to watch the latest series of Big Brother, we’re reminded of when it first launched 25 years ago and nobody could predict what would happen – not even one of the show’s first contestants – Nick Bateman.
In 2000, Bateman helped to put this new reality TV concept on the map as he quickly became a character people couldn’t stop talking about. Dubbed as ‘Nasty Nick’, he was seen manipulating his fellow housemates and influencing their nominations before the entire house confronted him.
After being the only contestant never to receive a single nomination for eviction, things were quick to turn around. His sneaky behaviour resulted in the show’s producers deciding to remove him from the house entirely, after 34 days in the competition.
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Decades later, the 57-year old’s life couldn’t look more different to that of the London broker we first met in 2000. After gaining fame for being ‘nasty’ across the UK, Nick has changed his name and moved to the other side of the world. Living in Australia, Nick Bateman has since reverted back to his real name of Jack and leads a relatively quiet life.
While he may carry some regrets about his time on TV back in the day, he opened up to Heart Bingo about the decisions that led him to a life so far away from that of Nasty Nick. When asked if he carries any regrets about his time on the show, Nick told Heart Bingo said: “I’d do it all exactly the same because it brought me here to Australia, so I wouldn’t change that for the world.
“I think everything happens for a reason. I’m a great believer in pre-destination and in making decisions and then being responsible for that. So, yeah, I wouldn’t change it.”
Talking about the move, he said: “I first came here when I was younger and fell in love with the country, so I think it would have always happened.
“It’s one of those countries that’s so progressive, and you can start your life again at any age and reinvent yourself. People are just happy and smiling. There’s fresh air and better food and no animosity from other people.
The ex-contestant now lives in Australia (Image: ITV)
“I’m happier here than I would be anywhere else. I won’t go back to England.” As for work, the ex-reality star now dabbles in a multitude of things, explaining that he works across marketing, sales, and promotions for companies.
After leaving the show, Nick found love in 2007 when he married a fashion magazine writer, Lynnette Peck, and in 2011 went into business with her. Three years later, they kickstarted Lovely’s Vintage Emporium but after the couple split Nick parted ways with the business that has since made waves in women’s fashion.
He had plenty of criticisms for the show as it airs today, in comparison to the original ‘social experiment’ he was a part of. He said: “It’s nearing the point where either the channel has to accept something isn’t working or they have to go back to the original producers.”
Nick Bateman now owns a property in Australia (Image: Getty Images)
The 57-year-old suggested maybe instead they cast the show without telling applicants what it is, to avoid those simply looking for fame. “People are using the show as a vehicle for their social media careers,” he explained.
“It has lost its innocence and its fun. It has lost its identity. They need to go back to basics with normal people, a stripped-back house, and the original tasks.”