Nikki Grahame’s mum believes going on Big Brother played role in ‘saving her life’ while speaking in new Channel 4 documentary

’s mum has opened up about the impact had on the late reality star while speaking in a new documentary, saying that she believes the show helped to ‘save her daughter’s life’.

In April last year, it was announced that Grahame had after suffering from anorexia throughout her life.

Her friends had organised a to help raise money for the widely-loved TV personality to receive treatment at a specialist facility for anorexia, with donations reaching tens of thousands of pounds prior to her death.

A year later, Channel 4 is releasing a new documentary about Grahame’s life, titled Nikki Grahame: Who Is She?, which takes its name from one of her most iconic quotes from inside the Big Brother house,

The programme features interviews with individuals including her mum, Sue Grahame, and close friend, Carly Cunningham, who she first became friends with in her early teens when they were both receiving treatment in the same facility.

At one point the film took a look back at the moment during the when Grahame was evicted from the house, capturing how she was unable to contain her nerves as she prepared to face the masses outside.

As the doors opened, she burst into tears as the crowds screamed and chanted her name, with presenter Davina McCall going to fetch her to bring her down the steps.

Recalling Grahame’s time on the reality show, Cunningham said: ‘I don’t feel like she felt very accepted by people ever in her life. And she finally felt, “I’m accepted. And this is for me and not my illness.” That was everything to Nikki.’

Grahame’s mum added that after Big Brother, it was as though ‘her whole fortunes turned around’.

‘I think Big Brother played quite a role in saving Nikki’s life. I really do,’ she said.

‘When I’d seen Nikki so sick and close to death on many occasions, it’s like her whole fortunes turned around. From now on, she was going to be alright, you know? She suddenly came alive, I mean it introduced her to a totally different world out there. She was so busy.’

The documentary showed snippets of Grahame’s career after Big Brother, from being photographed at an event to interviewing Dustin Hoffman on a red carpet.

‘I think there was a part of Nikki that never really believed or understood just how loved she was,’ her mum said.

In 2006, after her stint on Big Brother, Grahame won the National Television Award for ‘most popular TV contender’.

In the film, her mum expressed her belief that the day her daughter won the NTA ‘was the happiest day of her life’.

‘I have never seen her more proud and happy as I did that night,’ she said.

Following Grahame’s death, the friends who set up the fundraising page explained that the money raised would be used to cover funeral costs, as well as being donated to help others suffering from eating disorders.

Nikki Grahame: Who Is She? airs on Thursday April 7 at 9pm on Channel 4.