Nikki Grahame's mum's fat jab warning after one comment sparked star's death

Nikki Grahame was just seven years old when a seemingly throwaway comment turned her world upside down.

The Big Brother star's mum, Sue Grahame, recalls the moment Nikki came home from gymnastics, upset after another child commented on the size of her bum in a leotard. That one remark, Sue believes,marked the start of her daughter's life-long struggle with anorexia - a battle that would dominate Nikki's life until her death in 2021 at the age of 38.

She From the age of seven, Nikki spent over a decade in and out of hospital - more than 18 institutions in total, including a two-and-a-half-year stretch at Great Ormond Street. Her condition was so severe, one world-renowned doctor told her: "You are by far the worst I've ever seen." Following her death, Dorset County Hospital conducted an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding her passing.

A spokesperson said at the time: “The review has not identified any shortfalls in care which might have influenced the outcome, but has enabled both trusts to review opportunities for further partnership in the management of future complex eating disorder cases as well as further discussions on the clinical strategy in Dorset.”

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Today, Sue, 71, is raising alarm over the popularity of weight-loss injections, which she fears could become dangerous tools in the hands of those struggling with eating disorders.

"I think these jabs are a nightmare for people with eating disorders," she told The Sun. "They're already skinny and this just gives them another way to restrict food. It would have been a worry for me while Nikki was alive."

Sue explained that Nikki's relationship with food became tightly controlled from childhood. Small daily rituals, like weighing herself before and after meals, became part of a meticulous and punishing routine. The idea of taking an injection to suppress appetite, she says, would have only fuelled that toxic obsession.

Sue also expressed concern about the kind of content being shared on social media, particularly "thinspiration" videos that glorify extreme thinness and offer tips on how to eat as little as possible. She revealed that Nikki used to browse this kind of online content in secret.

The first sign that something was wrong came not long after the gymnastics comment. Nikki became withdrawn and fussy with food.

Doctors, however, refused to believe anything was seriously wrong. Sue said she was repeatedly dismissed until the day Nikki became so weak she couldn't stand. That day, she carried her daughter into the GP’s surgery and refused to leave until action was taken.

Although Big Brother gave Nikki a temporary escape, her illness was never far away. Behind the scenes, she battled obsessive food rituals and deep-set fears around hygiene. She couldn't eat in front of people and everything had to be cleaned to her standard before meals.

Sue said that Nikki learned survival mechanisms inside anorexia treatment units that later shaped her explosive personality on TV. Despite her battle, Nikki found moments of joy in her life. She worked abroad, trained as a teaching assistant, and continued to be a beloved figure to fans.

But Covid lockdowns brought isolation and a serious relapse. Her gym closed, so she bought a £900 cross trainer for her flat. She began collapsing while walking. Her body, after decades of malnutrition, was shutting down.

In April 2021, Nikki collapsed at a pharmacy and was taken to hospital. But due to a lack of space in specialist eating disorder units, she was placed in a general ward. According to Sue, care there was insufficient and, at times, “aggressive.”

Staff reportedly told Nikki she could go home if she walked up and down a set of steps - even though she could barely care for herself. She was discharged, alone, and took a taxi to her London flat. Hours later, she was dead.

A nurse later phoned Sue in tears, admitting: “She shouldn’t have gone home.” Four years on, Sue is still grieving the loss of her only daughter. She recently had to say goodbye to Baby, Nikki’s beloved chihuahua, who had lived with her since Nikki’s death.

She fears young people today are facing the same pressures Nikki did, but multiplied by social media, diet culture, and the rise of appetite-suppressing injections.

It's estimated around 1.5 million people in the UK are on weight loss drugs, with demand continuing to rise. Around 95 percent of those are getting the prescriptions privately.

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