16 October 2023 , 19:00
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Anna Nolan first captured the hearts of the nation back in 2000 after she finished second on the first-ever series of Big Brother. The former nun was working as an office manager when she entered the Big Brother house, completely unaware of the impact that the show would have on her life.
Anna spent her days in a tiny compound with the likes of Darren Ramsay, Melanie Hill, ‘Nasty’ Nick Bateman, and eventual winner Craig Phillips. However, since her time on the show, Anna has taken a step back from the limelight and has created a hugely successful career behind the camera.
The 52-year-old Irish star, who was once known for keeping the calm and peace, has left her religious life and now frequently appears on television. In a turn of events, she has become the head of development at one of Ireland's leading TV production companies, chair of the National LGBT Federation, and has amassed over 10,000 followers on Twitter.
Anna was once a nun, known for keeping calm and peace (Channel 4)Anna's charisma and talent have not gone unnoticed, as she has already presented several TV shows, including BBC's Anna in Wonderland, Closure, and The Great Irish Bake Off. She also made headlines after her involvement in a paranormal investigation was revealed. In August 2006, she was present as the BBC North East and Cumbria crew filmed Anomalous Phenomena Investigations of Newcastle upon Tyne conducting a paranormal investigation at Hurworth Grange Community Centre in Hurworth-on-Tees.
Nolan has also been recognised for her appearances on various TV shows. She has been an occasional panelist on RTÉ Two discussion show The Panel, and from 2007 to 2009, she was a reporter for the RTÉ series Would You Believe. She has even showcased her culinary skills on The Restaurant and hosted Celebrities Go Wild with Aidan Power in October 2007.
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After the end of the show, Davina McCall, the former presenter of Big Brother, and Anna have maintained a strong friendship (Twitter)Despite being a fan favourite, Anna used to deny her involvement with the show. However, she recently had a change of heart and now proudly admits to her past. When asked about her experience on reality TV, Anna revealed that she and her fellow contestants had no idea just how big the show would become.
She said: "We didn't have a clue it was having such an impact on the outside world. We were just irritated and annoyed by it, but we didn't know that anybody would be tuning in to watch it really. It was just something small in our world that we wanted to deal with." Anna added: “Big Brother made me focus on where I wanted to go in life. I'd been a drifter for 30 years,"
It's been years since the first series of Big Brother aired on our screens, but the drama and gossip surrounding the show never truly died down. Recently, host Davina McCall opened up to the Daily Mirror about her true feelings towards the contestants from the iconic show.
While many of the housemates have drifted out of touch with the presenter, there is one contestant who has remained a true friend to Davina, Anna Nolan. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Davina said: 'I'm still in touch with people like Anna Nolan from series one and Cameron Stout, who was the winner of series four. I saw Josie Gibson the other day and she's just brilliant.'
Big Brother is making a comeback on ITV2 with AJ Odudu and Will Best as hosts after a five-year hiatus. Marcus Bentley will also be returning as the narrator.