Celebrity Big Brother's Chantelle Houghton has recalled the "really awful time" she went through after winning the show's fourth series.
Speaking to The Sun, Houghton revealed how difficult she found fame after appearing on the reality show. "I needed to step out of the spotlight for my mental health," she said.
"I was going through a really awful time. I was abused for a very, very long time," she continued. "I lost myself in a lot of misery and I'm getting myself back bit by bit and enjoying being the person I always was."
Related: Rylan says he felt "devastation" over not returning to Big Brother
Houghton notably entered the infamous Celebrity Big Brother house in 2006 to trick the famous group of housemates into thinking that she was also a celebrity.
She was instantly catapulted to fame and later married The Ordinary Boys frontman Preston after meeting on the show, but they split less than a year later.
Speaking on how the show came at a "crossroads" moment in her life, Houghton described how the experience ultimately changed everything for her.
"I look back on my time in Big Brother with such fond memories," she said. "I do feel like it was a different life, but I feel like I've lived so many lives."
"What I've been through, I can't really speak to anyone, because it's crazy, right? There's no job like that at the job centre, is there?"
Related: Big Brother 2023's AJ Odudu and Will Best reveal support from show's original hosts
Big Brother is set to make its anticipated return to screens later this week (October 8). The new hosts of the revived reality TV show, AJ Odudu and Will Best, have admitted that they "have no idea" who the latest group of housemates are going to be.
"We have no idea who is going in either, but the housemates will reflect the UK in 2023," AJ told The Sun, with Will echoing her statement saying: "The show will always be a mirror to today's society and that will be shown in who is going into the house."
Big Brother: The Launch airs Sunday, October 8 at 9pm on ITV1, ITV2 and ITVX. After launch night, the show airs on Sundays to Fridays at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
