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Why You Should Know Celebrity Big Brother Contestant India Willoughby

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Ria Das
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India Willoughby

India Willoughby is a new name for television viewers. The transgender woman is a well-known face in broadcasting. She also hosts an all-female talk show.

As the 2018 series of Celebrity Big Brother kickstarted, the latest pool of stars are waiting to enter the famous TV mad house. This year, the Channel 5 show is all set to welcome the newsreader Willoughby. Excited?

So who is India Willoughby? Why does she stand out among all the ladies appearing on the show? Here's what you need to know about the broadcaster:

  • The series celebrates ‘The Year of the Woman’ in 2018 and Willoughby promotes girl power.
  • The 51-year-old is the first transgender newscaster in Britain. She channels her experience of transitioning on Loose Women and talks gender influence in the industry.

  • Born as a boy named Jonathan, Willoughby created buzz worldwide when joined as a TV reporter at ITV Border, presenting the news in the North East and Cumbria.
  • After a decade-long run of presenting the news in Carlisle, the broadcaster and journalist quit the show in 2010. After a gap of five years, she returned to TV as India, following her transition as a woman.
  • Her transition made her a famous name worldwide and she was widely praised for her bravery and openness about her journey.
  • The star, who is a regular host of Channel 5 news bulletins, has a teenage son named Rhodes.

  • Apart from being UK's first transgender newsreader, Willoughby is also the first transwoman in the world to be a panellist on an all-female talk show when she joined BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
  • In an interview with Best magazine, she revealed about the moment of realization when she knew for sure that she needed to get out of men's clothes.

“It was a job I loved a lot but unfortunately I had a secret. I was ignoring what I knew deep down – that I didn’t belong in that body.”

Knowing that she is a woman inside, Willoughby said: "I was nice and smart in my suit but I knew I couldn’t go on because that person wasn’t me. I went home in tears, absolutely distraught. I bought myself a bottle of wine and drank it. At the end of that night, I thought I was going to do myself in. I thought I would rather have a clean death to keep my secret a secret. Fortunately for me I’m a terrible drinker and I fell asleep, which in a way might have saved my life."

She had gone through gender reassignment surgery and ever since she did not have to hide anymore

Later, she also returned to the Border and Tyne Tees reporting team on a freelance basis.

This season the show honours the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in the UK and hence featuring a completely female line-up.

READ: Meet Joyita Mondal, India’s First Transgender Lok Adalat Judge

Also Read: Kami Sid – Pakistan’s First Trans Model’s Debut Photoshoot

Also Read: Weaving magic for transgender women: A unique initiative by a Kerala designer

Feature image credit: Metro

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transgender woman #CelebrityBigBrother Celebrity Big Brother contestant India Willoughby transgender newsreader
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