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The first transgender winner of Big Brother has revealed how the show “broke her”, as she criticised producers for airing “transgressive comments” made by a current contestant.

Nadia Almada proved to be extremely popular when she appeared on the fifth season of the show in 2004, winning a huge 74 per cent of the vote when she was crowned the winner.

However, when she went on to appear on the all-stars version on the show in 2010, she suffered a huge blow as she became what she described as a “victim of a very produced” series.

“It was a very, very distressing time for me actually. It was heartbreaking as well,” she said on the Queerphoria podcast. “ It was very intentional. It broke me.”

She discussed how she felt she was “put in harms way” by the show’s producers who didn’t protect her from the transphobic treatment she suffered from her fellow housemate, the late rapper Coolio.

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“Mentally, I was broken by all of his doings and all his beliefs and all his practises,” she said “I guess in essence I was a victim of that very produced series. And I think Channel 4 or even Big Brother will look back and acknowledge some of these things. It was it was very dehumanising, and I think it really took me to a dark place, with that person specifically.”

Her testimony comes as she criticised producers for featuring a current contestant’s “transgressive comments” as this year’s series began.

In his introductory video tape, housemate Ryan Bradshaw mocked the idea of “woke people” using “certain pronouns”

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The 28-year-old said: “There’s a lot of woke people out there. It’s all well and good if you want to use certain pronouns and I get that. It gets a bit confusing sometimes when people start identifying as a spoon or whatnot.”

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In response, Nadia shared her concerns about the comments on her Instagram story writing: “Big Brother made an editorial decision to show Ryan making transgressive comments. The clip was prerecorded – they likely had lots of footage to choose from, but that’s what they went for. They did it to gain publicity for the show and use our outrage for clicks, views and votes.

“BBUK had the opportunity to educate Ryan, instead you’ve let him show himself up. @bbcuk, dear friend and confideant, you have failed me, the #LGBTQIA community and society at large. This is 2024 not 2004 #bbuk.”

She was not the only public figure to express disappointment in the comments. Trans TV presenter India Willoughby also took to social media to condemn the comments, writing on X/Twitter: “Really disappointing @buk. I wonder if this guy would have been allowed in the BB house if he’d been derogatory about Black, Asian or Jewish people in his VT?

“It really is shocking how trans people can now be openly belittled in the UK mainstream @ITV.”

A Big Brother spokesperson said: “Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectation for appropriate behaviour and language.”

A former standup comedian and his wife have received a £4.2m dividend from the TV production company behind Mastermind, Derry Girls and Have I Got News for You.

Jimmy Mulville and his wife, Karen, shared the payout from Hat Trick Holdings, the producer behind hits including Father Ted, Trigger Point and Outnumbered.

Hat Trick’s revenues fell to £48.4m in 2023, from £57.7m the year before, and the company remained in the red, as pre-tax losses narrowed to £377,590 from £397,587, according to accounts filed at Companies House.

The number of series produced, a key measure of its performance, fell from 12 in 2022 to seven in 2023.

However, the company said highlights of last year had included delivering four shows through HTM Television – its joint venture with the Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio – and setting up Strong Watch Studios, a digital specialist, with two former executives of the online publisher LADbible.

Last month, a US version of Have I Got News For You debuted on CNN, 34 years after it hit British screens.

Hat Trick said that several of its subsidiaries – producing shows such as George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and The Proms for the BBC – “continue to perform well collectively in a difficult environment”.

Independent TV production companies have struggled as commissioning budgets have been cut by British broadcasters, leading to an industry mantra of “survive to 2025” as they attempt to ride out the tough financial conditions.

Hat Trick was founded in 1986 by Mulville – an aspiring standup turned TV executive – and his ex-wife, Denise O’Donoghue, who together created comedy shows including Drop the Dead Donkey and Room 101 before her departure from the company in 2005.

Mulville has previously discussed bringing back the company from the brink after a private equity deal struck in 2003 turned sour. “I would sit in the car park, quaking with fear,” he said. “The business was crippled with debt, not selling any shows.”

In total, the company paid out a dividend of £4.7m, including £470,000 to its chair, Patrick McKenna, up from £2.7m distributed last year. Jimmy and Karen Mulville received £4.2m of last year’s dividend, up from £2.4m in 2022.

“Our goal remains simple: to make highly successful programmes for profit,” wrote Paul Cohen, the group commercial director, in the accounts. He said Hat Trick, which has offices in London and Belfast, also makes investments in “early-stage content creation companies”.

Last year, Mulville was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine after a magistrates court heard that he swore and made rude gestures at a cyclist who had filmed him using his phone while driving his Aston Martin in London.

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BBC iPlayer viewers are encouraging viewers to watch the nuclear war film Threads, often described as one of the most harrowing movies ever made.

The 1984 film was made for BBC TV by The Bodyguard director Mick Jackson and Kes writer Barry Hines, with Jackson wanting to focus on the scientific ramifications of a nuclear attack and its fallout.

Threads was first aired on BBC Two on 23 September 1984 at the height of the Cold War, when nuclear tensions were as prevalant a talking point as they are today.

Although the film revolves around the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, after the latter invades Iran, it predominantly focuses on the lives of a couple in Sheffield, England and how the war impacts their lives.

The South Yorkshire city was chosen due to the belief that the Soviets would opt to strike an industrial city in the UK and that the local council, at the time, had a “nuclear-free zonepolicy.

Despite having a budget of just £400,000, Threads was the first film to ever depict what a nuclear winter would actually look like, giving an uncompromising and brutally bleak outlook on the implications of nuclear war and the devastation it would create. It has been widely praised by critics and audience alike ever since and holds a 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

It has only been repeated on BBC TV three times since its original broadcast, with the most recent being on 9 October, to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

The film is now available to watch on iPlayer, with many encouraging those who haven’t seen it to watch it despite the heavy subject matter.

On X/Twitter, one person wrote: “Watching Threads as a youngster (too young really) was a massively transformative experience for me. If you haven’t watched it, you owe it to yourself to do so.”

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Another said: “One of the earliest films to not treat nuclear bombs as the end point. But instead focus on the horrors and hauntings that accompany surviving their impact. Rarely shown on TV, a must watch.”

A third added: “I beseech you, if you’ve never watched Threads before, make sure you do now. It’s only been shown 4 times on telly in 40 years and it’s a bleak, harrowing, but essential watch. Something you’ll never forget.”

Watching it for the first time, one viewer said: “Waking up the morning after seeing Threads for the first time… … Like all great art, shakes you to the core and makes you see the world in a new way. While the kitchen sink (antithesis of Hollywood) context makes it all the more terrifying.”

Speaking to the BFI in September, Jackson said the he still suffers from a type of PTSD brought on from making the film. He “For many months after the film was finished and done with, I would still have moments where that alternative reality would suddenly ‘flash’ into my consciousness – as if I were actually there,” he said “I guess it eventually faded but it still hasn’t quite gone.”

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In January, the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, prompted scientists to keep the hands on the Doomsday Clock at 90 seconds to midnight for a second year in a row as scientists say “humanity continues to face an unprecedented level of danger”.

The creator of Netflix’s popular Greek mythology comedy series Kaos has said they are “gutted” at the show’s cancellation after one season.

Charlie Covell posted a message on the Instagram page of the production company Sister for fans who over the past week have voiced their disappointment and anger at Netflix for axing the series.

“Of course I’m gutted not to be making more Kaos, but I don’t want this news to overshadow what we did make,” Covell said. “I’m incredibly lucky to have worked with such an exceptionally talented cast and crew, and I’m extremely proud of our show. Thank you to absolutely everybody involved: it was a herculean team effort, and a huge privilege to work with you all.”

Kaos is a modern-day contemporary retelling of Greek and Roman mythology. The eight-episode series, released on Netflix in late August, stars Jeff Goldblum as a tracksuit-wearing, paranoid Zeus who chains his fellow god Prometheus (Stephen Dillane) to a cliff as punishment for interfering with his rule.

Prometheus enlists the help of three humans – Eurydice (Aurora Perrineau), Ariadne (Leila Farzad) and Caeneus (Misia Butler) – to overthrow Zeus. The show also features Janet McTeer, Killian Scott, Billie Piper and David Thewlis.

It debuted at No 3 in Netflix’s most-watched English-language shows, and a five-star review in the Guardian said it was “a reimagining of Greek mythology that is subtle and intricate, witty, rigorous, hugely intelligent, funny and brutal.”

Fans on social media said premature cancellations were robbing viewers of the opportunity to see the series grow and reach a conclusion. A petition to save Kaos has attracted thousands of signatures.

“This is frustrating,” wrote one fan. “Kaos barely had time to fly. It featured an eclectic cast, incredible diversity and a twist on Greek mythology. Season 2 would have been a banger. If Netflix isn’t going to allow its content to grow, give it up to another platform. It just got started!”

Another said: “Kaos could have gone on for many seasons. Rich source material that global audiences are familiar with. A fresh and engrossing interpretation of the source material. Fantastic acting, directing, casting, writing, editing, cinematography. I don’t understand.”

The news broke via a now deleted post by Perrineau on Instagram in which she said: “This one hurts.”

The actor said that when she was cast she “couldn’t believe that someone SAW me. A girl who’s not only a minority but also a survivor of SA – and you’re telling me that someone thinks I could be one of the leads of a show, have agency, my own mission, and be desirable enough to be the love interest to not only one amazing human but two? I was worthy of that?”

Covell, best known for their TV adaptation of The End of the F***ing World, had envisioned the show as a three-season arc, and previously said the first season’s finale set up several potential storylines for future instalments.

However, while the show’s debut was promising (3.4m views in its first week and 5.9m views in its second), viewership figures dropped by 43% in its third week to 3.4m and further again in its fourth week to 2.2m.

Around this time, Netflix changed the label of the show from Kaos: season 1 to just Kaos, indicating that it was now a limited series.

According to Forbes, the drop-off lined up with other recent shows that have been cancelled by Netflix, whose renewal decisions are primarily based on viewership in the first 28 days of a show’s launch. The streamer places significant emphasis on retaining engagement.

When What’s On Netflix compared the week-to-week evolution of Kaos’s viewership with others that have been renewed by Netflix (Supacell, The Gentlemen, My Life With the Walter Boys), it showed that Kaos was lagging behind.

Cancellations are not exclusively a Netflix problem: Disney+ not only cancelled the Willow sequel series after one season but also removed it from the platform, a decision its writer called “absolutely cruel”.

Writing in the I, the journalist Rachael Sigee said streaming was “supposed to revolutionise how we watch television” but that anyone who had paced out their viewing of Kaos “old-school style” had inadvertently dealt the series a killer blow. “Binge, Netflix says, or else,” she wrote.

Covell paid tribute to the show’s fans for their continued “love and enthusiasm”. They said: “My hope now is that people still continue to discover and enjoy the show: I reckon there are some potential fans out there who might need more time to find it, so please keep talking about Kaos if you enjoyed it.”

AN Outnumbered star is teaming up with David Baddiel for a new Channel 4 travelogue.

Fans of the hit BBC sitcom were left thrilled earlier this year when it was revealed the show would be returning for a long-awaited Christmas Special.

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And now, Hugh Dennis has joined forces with fellow funnyman David for a new travelogue on Channel 4.

The pair used to work on The Mary Whitehouse Experience back in 1990 alongside Rod Newman and Steve Punt.

Now they will be getting together for a very different reason, to cycle across France, with Hugh on his reliable bicycle and David on an E-Bike.

Speaking on ITV‘s Lorraine, David said: “I love [Hugh Dennis] and he asked me to cycle across France for this show for Channel 4.

“I said ‘well, you’re a proper cyclist, he’s cycled in the Alps, he’s done half of the Tour de France. I do not do that, look at me. So I said I’d do it on my E-Bike.

” He’s on a big racer with all the gear, I’m basically looking like this on my E-Bike and we’re cycling across France.”

David said he had a right laugh making it with his old buddy, joking: “Mainly, my bottom is alright.

“I didn’t know this, because basically I’ve only ever cycled into town from my house, which is not a long way, the thing that hurts is not your legs but your bum.”

Along the way they will be reunited with co-stars from The Mary Whitehouse Experience.

David teased: “See if you can spot Steve Punt and Rob Newman.”, when posting about the series last week on social media.

Producers Strawberry Blonde, who previously made The Great British Dig for Channel 4, are behind the programme, which is still untitled.

The series will air next year, but before that Hugh will return to Outnumbered in this year’s Christmas special.

He stars in it with Sue Skinner, who plays his on screen wife, and whom he is in a relationship with in real life.

The show will see them once again play Pete and Sue Brockman, now parenting kids who are now grown adults.

The original child stars Tyler Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Romona Marquez reprise their roles as fully grown adults.

Outnumbered ran between 2007 and 2014 and the cast reunited for a Christmas special in 2018.

Best BBC comedies

A BBC boss called on the industry to “save our sitcoms”, but the corporation has a history of fantastic shows.

We look back at some of the best to ever grace the screen.

Fawlty Towers (1975-1979) – Only two series were made of the beloved institution. However, the cultural impact of the series starring John Cleese and Connie Booth spans decades. It follows rude and intolerant Basil Fawlty (Cleese) as he attempts to improve the reputation of his hotel.

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Only Fools and Horses (1981-2003) – The show was crowned by some as the best British sitcom of all time by a TV poll in 2004. Seven series were broadcast on BBC until 1991 with additional sporadic Christmas specials airing until 2003. Sir David Jason starred as ambitious market trader Derek “Del Boy” Trotter whilst Nicholas Lyndhurst played his younger half-brother Rodney. Set in working-class Peckham in south-east London, it follows the highs and lows of the lives of the Trotters’, in particular their brazen attempts to get rich.

Blackadder (1983 – 1989) – Four series were made of the iconic show, created by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson. Each series spans a different historical period as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder (Atkinson) tries to better himself in each society. Accompanied by his dogsbody Baldrick (Tony Robinson), trouble always ensues. A TV poll in 2004 found that Blackadder was voted the second-best British sitcom of all time

Absolutely Fabulous (1992 – 2012) – Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley star as failing PR guru Edina ‘Eddie’ Monsoon and alcoholic fashionista Patsy Stone. The pair embark on heavy-drinking sessions and abuse drugs in a desperate attempt to stay ‘hip’. Eddie constantly chases bizarre fads and fails to lose weight whilst her disappointed and neglected daughter Saffy (Julia Sawalha) looks on.

Little Britain (2003 – 2006) – The premise is simple. A sketch show which features different British people from all walks of life that are engaged in all sorts of comical scenarios. Starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams, the pair created iconic pop culture characters. Viewers loved obnoxious council estate teenager Vicky Pollard, morbidly obese scrounger Bubbles Devere, slimming coach Marjorie Dawes, despondent office worker Carol Beer, disgraced politician Sir Norman Fry, of course the iconic Lou and Andy!

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The Catherine Tate Show (2004-2015) – A sketch show starring the likes of Catherine Tate. She made iconic characters such as rowdy schoolgirl Lauren Cooper with her line ‘Am I bovvered?’. Other characters featured Bernie the nurse, the aga saga woman, complaining couple Janice and Ray, and of course her infamous ‘Nan’, Joannie Taylor. The last character herself spawned multiple specials and even a movie.

Gavin and Stacey (2007 – Present) The series tells the story of Gavin (Matthew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page). The pair embarked on an online and telephone romance for six months. But when they finally decide to be together properly, their friends and family get in the way. Ruth Jones and James Corden created the beloved show, which has been going for over a decade. The 2019 Christmas special was the most-watched comedy in 17 years and the most-viewed non-sporting event in a decade.

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Graham Norton has revealed the celebrity who he claims “wasn’t a great guest” on his chat show.

Norton has interviewed some of the world’s biggest stars on The Graham Norton Show, which he has hosted since 2007.

The series started on BBC Two before moving to BBC One in 2010, where it succeeded Jonathan Ross’s talk show. Before that, the Irish presenter hosted V Graham Norton on Channel 4.

Over the years, Norton, who previously opened up about accidentally insulting Oscar winner Jessica Chastain on the show, has remained tight-lipped when it comes to discussing his favourite guest – though the host did once call film producer Harvey Weinstein, now a convicted rapist, the “worst” person he’s interviewed.

He’s since named the star he thought was not an effective guest, suggesting it was due to nerves.

Speaking to News.com.au, Norton, 61, said that Kill Bill and Splash! actor Daryl Hannah “wasn’t a great guest” – but instead of being due to “diva” behaviour, it was purely down to anxiety on her part.

Norton said that he had been warned that Hannah was not a fan of chat shows, highlighting a rumour that she was said to have fainted during an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

“So she did our show and, bless her, she wasn’t a great guest,” the host explained, adding: “But what I loved was, because she got through it, afterwards she was high as a kite. She really felt like she’d done an amazing thing. And I was thrilled for her that she had gotten through it. It was still a very poor show.’

Hannah appeared on the first series of V Graham Norton in 2002 – and was the sole guest.

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Norton said that another guest he struggled with was Mickey Rourke, describing the Wrestler actor as “hard work” due to the fact he had drunk half a bottle of Jack Daniels upon his arrival to the Graham Norton Show studios.

“I just happened to be standing there when he got out of the car and he was holding a bottle of Jack Daniels, which is already worrying.

“But then we noticed the bottle of Jack Daniels was half-empty. It soon became very clear where that Jack Daniels had gone.”

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Norton explained: “Those nights are quite hard work where you’re just trying to keep it together and get to the finishing line.” Rourke appeared on the series in 2008 alongside Jessica Biel and Martha Wainwright.

The host also recollected Madonna being “a bit rude” to two fans who presented the singer with two dolls of herself when she appeared alongside Andrea Riseborough and James D’Arcy in 2012.

‘I saw them after the show and said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry she was a bit rude about the dolls.’ But they couldn’t have been happier. Their diva had behaved in exactly the way they wanted her to.”

Norton is currently promoting what will be his first ever live tour of Australia, which is scheduled to take place in March.