When we heard that heat favourite Nikki Grahame was appearing on the latest series of Celebrity Coach Trip, we couldn’t wait to give her a call and get all the gossip from the coach, her thoughts on Celebrity Big Brother and what else she’s watching on her telly box.
How are you doing?
Yeah I’m really good, I’ve just finished doing a pantomime which was really good fun. Hard work! I was the fairy godmother in Cinderella.
You’re starring in Celebrity Coach Trip at the moment, what was it like filming that?
Yeah, it was actually really hard work.
Was it?
Well being with all those geriatrics, yeah. Especially the likes of bloody Edwina Currie and her horrible husband. He was vile, and Paul Burrell is just the biggest slime ball - It’s like, why do they keep calling us thick, what difference does it make?
We did notice that Paul Burrell said that you’re not the sharpest tools in the box and he said that you’re both (Nikki and Aisleyne, her coach partner) blonde and orange. What do you say to that?
Well I wasn’t orange, admittedly Aisleyne was a little bit orange, but… I wasn’t orange!
How did you and Aisleyne get along because we all know that the two of you have had your differences in the past?
We got on fine, I mean, I do think that I just tried to keep my head down so that we didn’t get nominated, then she did the thing with the wipes in the toilet… (Aisleyne was told off by Edwina for leaving litter in the toilets in the first episode) and I think talking about fox hunting with that snob, whatever her name was… I said to her ‘just keep your head down so we don’t get voted’, but I think she struggled with that. You’ll see me lose the plot on the show, I bottled it up for so long, I ended up pulling my microphone off and walking off the show and saying that I wanted a flight home and saying that they’re vile… they’ve had their lives and they should all be fucking dead. That’s what I said… but I think they’ve cut that bit.
Probably for the best!
But Brendan (Coach Trip’s notorious international tour guide) was saying [puts on an accent] “Well why don’t you vote for them then?”, I was like, “I’m not voting, I’ve quit the show! I’m not doing it” [Nikki laughs].
Did you find the age gap of the contestants difficult?
Yeah, I mean we were the only young ones so everyone picked on us. Really unfair.
heat noticed that in the first episode Aisleyne was doing a lot of screaming, but you actually dealt with the cow milking quite calmly – did you think that Aisleyne was playing up to the cameras at all?
Maybe a little bit, I did think that. And a few people have said to me, “Oh, she’s taking over the whole show”, but that was just me trying to keep my head down, and I think that’s just her personality. I do think she’s a good person and we do get on these days.
What was your favourite destination that you visited on the coach?
Oh Croatia was a beautiful little place, but that was the day I quit. We were going to make a cake and I was really enjoying making this cake, but the snob Jeannie [TV etiquette expert Jean Broke-Smith] was rolling her eyes because we were taking too long and they were all moaning that we’d gone first and were taking too long – that’s when I snapped, and I went, “I’m sorry, is there a problem?!” And I just turned round and confronted the entire lot of them and I said “I have had enough of you lot, the past three days turning your noses up at us, who do you think you are?!” They all just started back at me and I just lost it and went mental.
Who was the most irritating celebrity on the coach?
Oh that snob Jeannie and Burrell.
What did they do that was so annoying?
Well me and Aisleyne weren’t allowed to put make up on in public because it’s bad etiquette and they’d get us up at half six in the morning, so for an extra half an hour in bed, we’re going to take that, so we just put some make up on on the coach every day but that was a problem. It’s bad manners to put it on in public. And I had bad etiquette in general – they had a real problem with us.
Who was the biggest diva on the coach?
Probably Edwina Currie.
Why?
She said stuff to us like, “Go and get an education”, and I think that she just thought that she was the biggest star on the coach. The two Eastenders boys Charlie and John were lovely, really, really lovely. And Cannon and Ball were our friends in the beginning but they turned on us.
What was Brendan like?
We loved Brendan, he’s so funny. But it was really funny when we had to do a wrestling challenge and you’ll see Burrell flirting with all the guys, these Slovenian wrestlers.
What is your must-have travel item?
Hmm… Probably a warm coat and comfy shoes.
Did you find yourself getting irritable on the coach before you had your breakdown?
I was getting very irritable and having to keep my mouth shut, because they were just so rude to us! I thought, ‘I can’t say anything back because they’ll vote for us’ and you know me – when do I ever hold back?! I did it for two days and then I snapped. I said to Aisleyne that morning, “I’m going to snap, I can feel it, I cannot contain this any longer” and I did.
Would you do the show again?
No. Actually yeah I would do it again, but not with geriatrics, not as a SAGA trip!
Have you been watching Celebrity Big Brother and what do you think about it?
Yeah I have been watching it, I’m absolutely loving it and I want Natalie to win, I think it’s just been so good, I think Frankie’s quite cute, I’ve developed a bit of a crush on him while he’s been in there. And I really like Nicola, I love Denise…
What do you think of the Playboy twins?
I didn’t like them at first but now I think they’ve come into their own and I do quite like them now. I think they’re quite strong housemates. Romeo’s a complete and utter waste of space! What is he there for?
Who do you think will be evicted next out of Michael or Georgia?
Oh Georgia’s going to go, I’m at the eviction on Wednesday… Out of the two of them I’d much prefer him to go because I’d much rather meet him… But yeah I think she’s a dead cert to go.
Had you ever heard of Georgie Salpa before?
Never. They only put her in there for Kirk though because she looks like the Kardashian.
How do you think Brian is doing hosting the main show?
Brian is just fantastic, they couldn’t get anyone better than him… Apart from myself! [laughs] But no, he’s doing such a good job, he’s just natural, he was just made for it, isn’t he?
Definitely. What are your future plans?
Well I’m going to Australia next Tuesday, so when I get back I will see what’s waiting for me. I’d like to do a bit of presenting I think.
What’s your favourite TV show at the moment?
Oh god I’ve got so many! I love Desperate Scousewives, I love Playing It Straight, I love Big Brother, I love Laguna Beach which they’re repeating at the moment.
Are there any TV shows that you really hate?
Oh god, my mum always makes me watch Location, Location… Or things like…
heat hears Nikki’s mum suggesting University Challenge
No I don’t mind University Challenge! I quite like Mastermind as well actually. Oh and I hate Deal or No Deal.
What’s the one thing heatworld readers would be really surprised to know about you?
Umm… I’m learning French!
Do people still come up to you on the street and what do they say?
People always shout “Who is she?!” or “I’m so cold!”, I get a lot of… on Twitter in the winter, “I’m so cold, in the words of Nikki Grahame (@NikkiGrahame_82)”
Can we do a quick fire round with you?
Yeah sure.
Cocktails or champagne?
Cocktails.
Hair up or hair down?
Hair up.
Chinese takeaway or Indian Takeaway?
Indian.
X Factor or Strictly?
[Gasps] X Factor!
Skiing holiday or beach holiday?
Beach holiday.
The Saturdays or Little Mix?
[Pauses]… Little Mix.
Looks or Personality?
Personality.
Facebook or Twitter?
Facebook.
Chilled night in or a big night out?
Big night out.
The city or the countryside?
City!
Thanks Nikki!
No worries, lovely talking to you.
You can catch Celebrity Coach Trip every night at 5pm on Channel 4.