The city of Birmingham has a long history when it comes to producing entertainers and celebrities. From musicians such as Ozzy Osbourne to Steve Winwood to actors like Felicity Jones and Arthur Darvill, talent is in abundance. Yet the past 20 years have seen a new type of star emerge: the reality TV contestant. So, which Brummies have managed to form successful careers from this new medium?
Daisy Muller
Daisy Muller was a contestant on the first series of Love Island. She entered the famous villa on the seventh day but was later unceremoniously dumped on day nineteen. Coupled with Jordan Ring, she soon entered a vicious love triangle with him and Zoe Basia Brown. Her exit was the result of all the boys in the villa voting for her removal.
Since those early days, the format of the show has evolved and the success of the franchise has been experienced on an international level. As this article from ExpressVPN summarises, you can now stream numerous versions of the show from around the globe easily, with Australian, American and European iterations galore. Many of the show’s contestants go on to forge successful careers in the beauty industry, with ludicrous sponsorships and collaborations. This means that even when the show is over, these reality TV stars stay on our screens and phones for years and years to come.
Daisy Muller is no exception: she’s now a vegan and health food influencer with around 47k followers. She’s stated that she does not stay in touch with her Love Island flame Jordan, owing to the fact she thought he was not being honest on the TV show. However, she does stay connected with fellow housemate Jess with whom she shared many laughs.
Alison Hammond
The most famous Birmingham reality television star, and one on track to become a national treasure, is Alison Hammond. Oddly, her stint as a reality television star was short-lived. She entered the third series of Big Brother in 2002 and was the second person to get voted out.
Alison managed to capitalise on the run of fame that occurred after her eviction. She took part in everything from Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes to Ready Steady Cook. Her natural charm and buoyant sense of humour adhered her to the UK public, more so than it had done in the Big Brother house. A stint on Loose Women and presenting jobs on ITV Play helped her transition from the role of reality TV contestant to a fully-fledged presenter.
Now she is a regular face on This Morning, where she has transitioned from a roving reporter to presenting partner with Dermot O’Leary. As well as presenting, she has also made forays into voiceover work taking the part of Frankenginger in the movie Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.
Liam Payne
Liam Payne’s first dip into reality television did not go well when he was eliminated from the 2008 version of the X-Factor. Not one to give up, he tried again in 2010 and ended up in a group named One Direction. They would become one of the most successful boybands in history.
Born in Wolverhampton, he attended St Peter’s Collegiate School where he was a gifted athlete. However, this passion changed to performance when he joined the Pink Production Theatre Company.
After the dissolution of One Direction, Payne undertook one of his most productive periods. He began working as a music producer and became the director of his own publishing company. Signing a deal with a new record company, he went on to collaborate with huge stars such as Rita Ora.
