Nikki Grahame's mum had described how her daughter's eating disorder spiralled during lockdown.
The 38-year-old Big Bother star passed away in the early hours of Friday morning (April 9).
In an interview with The Telegraph before her death, Sue Grahame, 66, said Nikki had suffered with "terminal loneliness" during a "hellish" lockdown.
Before the pandemic, Nikki had gone back to school to take courses in English and Science, and had just completed a course on caring for children with special needs.
“She’s been trying to further herself,” Sue said.
But the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus was the "final blow" for her daughter, the paper reports.
“This last year has just about floored her," Sue said in the March interview.
"From the first lockdown, it was hellish. She struggled because she couldn’t go to the gym.
"Then in December she fell down and cracked her pelvis in two places and broke her wrist. I stayed with her for three or four weeks because she couldn’t do anything.”
Nikki had suffered with anorexia since she was a child, weighing just under three stone at the age of eight.
Her mum recalled her spending more time at eating disorder units than her own home while she was a teenager.
In the weeks before her death, she had checked herself into a specialist facility for life-saving care following a fundraising campaign organised by friends and fans.
Her mum had said she was feeling hopeful that her latest round of more “holistic” treatment would nurture her daughter.
She said: “I said to her: ‘It’s your 40th next year. Come on, we’re going to plan something big. You do have things to look forward to. Let’s start again.’”
Nikki appeared on the seventh series of reality TV show Big Brother in 2006, and despite finishing fifth became one of its most recognisable contestants.
She subsequently secured her own show, Princess Nikki, won a National Television Award for most popular TV contender and published two books, the autobiographies Dying To Be Thin and Fragile.
Bug Brother host Davina McCall described Nikki as “iconic”, sharing a tribute on Twitter on Saturday and a second message on Instagram on Sunday.
"I can’t find the words… it’s just really tragic," she said. “She was iconic. In the true sense of the word.
“Whose catch phrases will be with me forever.
“Sending so much love to her friends and family. I’m so sorry. The pain you and she must have endured.”
Fellow Big Brother 7 housemate Pete Bennett, who she formed a relationship with on the show in 2006, also shared a tearful video addressing her death.
In the clip posted to Instagram, he said: “I thought to myself, yeah, we could save her. But we didn’t.”
He added: “We have lost a true character. Our series just wouldn’t have been the same without her.”
Holding up a bottle of wine, he concluded: “We really love you Nikki. You were a true winner. You were great.
“You f****** rocked it babes. Just want to say, we’ll miss you babe. See you later Nikki.”
