Big Brother’s Ali reveals she almost quit ITV series hours before history-making win-Laura Harman-Entertainment – Metro

Big Brother winner Ali Bromley has revealed that hours before her history-making win, she almost quit the programme.

On Friday night, the 38-year-old became the beloved reality TV show’s oldest-ever female winner and first-ever lesbian winner in the UK with a whopping 51.9% of the votes, beating runner-up Marcello Dentamaro.

Despite her incredible popularity with the public, the star believed that she was being kept in for entertainment value and so was on the verge of quitting on the same day she was crowned the victor.

Speaking to Metro, Ali explained that on her final morning, she felt ‘so terrible’ after having an argument with Marcello, 34, following their past clashes in the house.

‘I woke up and I just thought, “I felt so terrible, I just need to get out.” And maybe it’s not even worth staying for the finale. Because, actually, by that point, I was like, I’ve got to the final. This is a win for me. I never thought I’d get here. Maybe that’s enough I had,’ she said.

‘I was absolutely convinced I would not win or even come second, third or fourth. So I just thought, “Why would I stay in here all day after a really difficult interaction?”‘

Ali was on the verge of leaving the Big Brother house hours before she was announced as the winner (Picture: Vianney Le Caer/Shutterstock for Big Brother

Marcello, who clashed with Ali on the series, finished in second place (Picture: Vianney Le Caer/Shutterstock for Big Brother)

The forensic psychologist revealed that she was convinced to stay by the production team – and she also shared a ‘hug’ with Marcello after their disagreement – and so she decided to try and enjoy the end of the experience.

‘I had a chat with Big Brother, gave my head a little wobble, and was like, “You know what? What am I talking about? You’ve made it to the end. Enjoy the ending.”‘

The fan-favourite added that had it been easy to quit, she would have done so – but every time she came close to leaving she was convinced to stay.

‘I was really, really close to leaving. When I spoke about leaving and started taking my clothes out of my wardrobe. I’d made up my mind that I was going,’ she said, referencing her argument with Khaled that led her to say she was leaving the show.

‘I think had it been easy to exit the Big Brother house, I would have just walked out of the door.’

Ali and Khaled (centre) had their disagreements in the house (Picture: Rex Features/Shutterstock for Big Brother)

The winner continued: ‘But obviously, I got called into the diary room, and had a conversation, I was supported by the welfare team at that time and the psychologist. And by the end of that support process of Big Brother, I made the decision to stay.’

However, she admitted that there were ‘absolutely’ times when she was ‘ready to walk’, and that feeling stayed with her ‘for quite a while’.

Ali outlined how because of some of the ‘really, really rough times’ she had on the series, she was convinced that she was going to be ‘perceived negatively’ by viewers watching from home.

With that in mind, the contestant thought that she had perhaps only been kept in the running so that fans ‘could see my conflicts with other people’.

‘Which is something that was hinted to me by other housemates,’ she said.

One of the most talked-about moments of Big Brother this year was when Ali wore a pro-Palestine T-shirt, which was then edited out of the programme.

The pro-Palestine T-shirt that Ali wore was later edited out of the programme (Picture: Rex Features/Shutterstock for Big Brother)

The Wear The Peace top sparked backlash from the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism, as the organisation pointed out that the watermelon design – which is a symbol of solidarity with Palestine – was in the shape of Israel on a map.

The charity said in a statement: ‘This graphic has caused significant distress among the British Jewish community, who regard it as a genocidal message similar to the slogan “From the River to the Sea” which calls for the elimination of the world’s only Jewish state.’

Speaking about the controversy, Ali told Metro that she would have ‘never intentionally worn anything that I would think would cause people to feel hurt or that I had anything against them’.

‘I got the T-shirt at a time when I was donating to charities in the area. And showing solidarity for one group of people doesn’t mean automatically that you’re not pro-solution and that you don’t support a solution for everybody that brings peace.’

Ali added that she hasn’t had a chance yet to catch up on media coverage of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, stating: ‘So I’ve had conversations with people from Big Brother.

‘I’m glad that the apology was issued and that hopefully the show moved forward from that issue.’

Ali said she wanted to leave the show on various occasions (Picture: Shutterstock for Big Brother)

Ahead of the final of the reality show, Ali hadn’t thought much about the prospect of winning the £90,000 prize money, as she thought that the public thought negatively of her.

Nonetheless, she plans on using the jackpot to honour a promise that she made to a fellow housemate: Big Brother 2024 breakout star Lily Benson, 20.

‘The only thing that I do know for sure is that Lily’s dream is that she wants to go to Ibiza so I said I’d pay for her trip,’ Ali revealed.

‘Whether or not I make it out there with her – whether or not I would survive that – another matter, but definitely I’m going to honour that promise.

‘I think she really deserves that because that’s all she wanted to do if she won the prize money. So I think it’s only fair that she gets the chance to do that.’

Ali has promised to send Lily to Ibiza with her prize money (Picture: Sofi Adams/Shutterstock for Big)

When asked if she has any regrets from her time in the show Ali admitted: ‘There may have been moments where I might have chosen to be more diplomatic.’

However, she asserted that she has no regrets.

‘I suppose the stubborn part of myself is going to say there’s nothing immediate that I would change. The things that I spoke about were my feelings at the time. That’s how I was perceiving interactions,’ she said.

‘Particularly with Khaled, think about more about his position and how he might be feeling. So I wouldn’t necessarily change the sentiment of what I said, but the diplomacy, I probably could have worked on that.’

Although she has no plans to sit down and watch the whole show, there are some highlights she’d like to catch.

The star said she was blindsided by her win (Picture: ITV)

‘Will I watch each and every episode? Very unlikely, but there are definitely some things that I want to watch. Particularly the episode where Marcello and I learned our dance routine and then executed that in front of the house. So yeah, there’s definitely some highlights that I would like to go back to.’

Reflecting on winning the reality TV series, Ali emphasised that her main feeling was simply ‘shock’.

‘It feels really overwhelming, and people have been so lovely,’ Ali shared.

‘I think it came through on the show that I was just so shocked and surprised, that the only word I can think to describe it really is just so I’m overwhelmed. I’m so happy, and I’m so appreciative of the support.’

Ali noted that she didn’t realise until she left the house how few women had been crowned the winners in the past, given she’s the oldest female contestant to have won.

She won £90,000 as prize money (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘I mean, what an honour. And thank goodness that we’re evening up the scores a little bit, between the genders of the people winning,’ she said.

Ali also emphasised how proud she feels to be ‘representing my community, the lesbian community’, saying that it’s just lovely’.

Ali, who spoke openly in the show about being neurodivergent, also acknowledged how ‘deeply touched’ she’s felt by the response to her openness.

‘The fact that I represent the lesbian community and the neurodivergent community and the lesbian neurodivergent community, was something that I talked about in the house because I wanted my housemates to understand me, but I didn’t realize how many people would be touched by that on the outside,’ she said.

‘I’m really deeply touched by the reach has had. I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to be something of representation for someone that you know maybe I didn’t have, not as a young person.’

Big Brother is available to watch on ITVX.

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