Interview with Jody Simpson from Nouveau News Magazine, Jan 2007.
Q What did you enjoy most about being in Big Brother?
A Not being stressed with n normal life
Q What did you enjoy least about being in Big Brother?
A Missing Henri, my 12-year-old son
Q Was it your true personality we saw in Big Brother?
A Not really. They portrayed me to be crying all the time and in fact I only cried when I missed my son.
Q What made you apply for Big Brother?
A Fame, and to prove a single mum could do it
Q Has your life changed since you came out of Big Brother?
A A definite YES
Q Have you appeared in any other shows since leaving Big Brother?
A I have been offered 2 parts but it can be a cruel world as one of them was Dancing on Ice and it got leaked out to the papers so I lost the contract. Another one was “My Dog and I”. I was given the part but lost it to someone famous with similar assets to myself.
Q Tell us the most stressful time in your life
A Having cancer. This led to chemotherapy which led to losing all my hair and eyebrows
Q Has your hair grown back from the chemotherapy?
A Yes buy I love wearing hair extensions they make me feel sexy and I can hide behind them when I m at my low points
Q So tell use what happened to your eyebrows? They were one of the talking points
A I had them done by a friend before going in to Big Brother as I did not want to face the world with no eyebrows at all. Since I came out of Big Brother I have been having them removed by Karen Betts, after 4 procedures they are nearly out. I can’t wait for my new brows to be done
Q Who is your biggest influence in life?
A My mum
Q Why do you think you are going to be very successful?
A I am an honest normal and determined girl. I have come from a working class background my mother started as a cleaner and father a miner, I know what it is like to only have nuts and oranges at Christmas time. I had never been in a circle of celebrities until leaving Big Brother so I’m going to prove that with my determination I’m going to make something of my life so my son H will benefit
Q Do you want your own TV show?
A It must be everyone’s dream to have their own TV show but to be quite honest with you I prefer working with a team of people. I will have some thing on the box with Richard one day – watch this space.
Q By the age of 40 what would you like to be doing?
A I’d like to be an established sitcom actress and married to Adam Ant or David Guest
Q Who is your favourite TV presenter?
A Paul O Grady
Q What are you doing at the moment?
A I am reporting for celebrity Big Brother up to the end of January
Q Would you consider any of the other shows like I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here?
A After 3 months in the Big Brother house it has prepared me to challenge the world, a few snakes and eating worms would not be half the challenge of not seeing your only son for 3 months
Q If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you?
A H, my son, my mum and a boat- how can I fulfil my dreams if I can’t get home
Q Have you any other burning ambitions?
A I’d love to be able to write my autobiography at some point.
Q If you’d just won Miss World, you would obviously say that you wanted world peace. Is this true for you?
A I suppose I’d like World Peace but I can’t really have much influence over that. It’s my mission to visit schools to help those being bullied and I can now dedicating time to charities such as AIDS and Breast Cancer Care.
Q Who would you like to thank?
A Sharon Powers and Phil Edger Jones – Big Brother you have given me the chance to show the world how you can make something of your life. Mum and H for not listening to all the bad tabloids, to everyone who has helped me get this far - the parties and free cocktails are on me one day – date to be confirmed!
Lea laughs with a smile in her eyes and a positive attitude we should all share.
