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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Joel Leaver & Charlotte Everett

Big Brother's Makosi Musambasi unrecognisable after transformation in new life

Big Brother alum Makosi Musambasi has transformed her life since her controversial stint as a housemate on the popular Channel 4 reality TV show almost two decades ago.

Makosi, now 41, was on the sixth series of the show back in 2005. She appeared alongside the likes of eventual winner Anthony Hutton, now 40, and Kinga Karolczak, now 37.

The housemate, originally from Zimbabwe, was working as a nurse in the UK when she took part in the show. She reached the final during her stint on the show 17 years ago.

She is understood to now reside in Dubai. Makosi works as a life coach and public speaker, with the former reality TV star boasting 41,000 followers on her Instagram account.

Makosi Musambasi was a housemate on Big Brother in 2005 (Channel 4)

She has her own lifestyle show - titled Makosi Today - which is released on social media. Its content includes interviews, life lessons as well as footage of Makosi playing golf.

Makosi previously launched a book, Self Love: The Ultimate Choice, in 2013. She is said to be working on a new book about "her journey through breast cancer".

Alongside such ventures, she is said to be the founder and CEO of media company Africa Media Inc. It reportedly creates and distributes content across the continent.

She has since become a life coach and public speaker (instagram.com/officialmakosi)
She also has her own lifestyle show (instagram.com/officialmakosi)

Big Brother viewers will likely remember Makosi for having been intimate with housemate Anthony in the hot tub, during an evening in the iconic house whilst in a group.

Following the steamy scene, Makosi requested a pregnancy test, saying she was convinced that she was pregnant just hours after the encounter. It turned out that she wasn't.

Anthony insisted that they didn't have sex. Makosi later admitted that their intimacy hadn't got that far in the hot tub when they reunited during Ultimate Big Brother in 2010.

During her initial stint on Big Brother in 2005, Makosi was a finalist and placed third overall. She had reached the final with winner Anthony and runner-up Eugene Sully, now 43.

Recalling the experience to the Sun, she said: "[I remember the show] with fond memories and nostalgia". She added: "The Makosi who went on Big Brother was a free bird."

Makosi said she is "proud" of the experience. She further commented about it: "It just makes me chuckle [...] I look at that 25-year-old Makosi and I think it was ingenious."

Makosi is understood to now live in Dubai (instagram.com/officialmakosi)
She's said to be working on a book about her experience with cancer (instagram.com/officialmakosi)

It's been reported that following the show, things got tough for her as she had been living in the UK on a visa. It's said to have allowed her to stay as long as she worked for the NHS.

She's said to have been granted a sabbatical by the NHS, which was withdrawn when it was discovered she was using it to do Big Brother. She was given an ultimatinum over it.

Makosi reportedly opted for Big Brother - rather than keep her job - so once she left the show, she is said to have been given just ten days to leave the UK or appeal the decision.

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It's claimed that she fought the decision, saying at the time: "I feel very betrayed." She added: "I've entertained the nation for three months and then you come after me."

She reportedly applied for asylum, saying it was unsafe for her to return to her home country. It is said to have been rejected, though she was allowed to stay under refugee status.

The former nurse later decided to move to Nigeria. There was further trouble in 2012 when she was deported from the UK for trying to use someone else's passport to enter.

She's an avid golf player (instagram.com/officialmakosi)
Other content on her social media includes workout videos and gym selfies (instagram.com/officialmakosi)

Makosi later announced that she'd had a mastectomy and chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. She currently resides in the United Arab Emirates.

Her social media includes motivational and inspirational quotes. It also features workout videos as well as content showing Makosi pursuing her passion for playing golf.

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