‘I AM SO SAD NIKKI'S GONE BUT I KNOW SHE'S WITH THE ANGELS NOW'

FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC DEATH OF NIKKI GRAHAME HER EX-BOYFRIEND PETE BENNETT OPENS UP ABOUT HIS HEARTACHE

- EMILY WHITWAM AND GEMMA MCCARTNEY

One person who has been left utterly heartbroken following the death of Nikki Grahame is her former Big Brother co-star, Pete Bennett. Arguably someone knew her better than most, Pete shared a famous love story with Nikki, who tragically died on 9 April at the age of 38 following a battle with anorexia.

The pair remained close after falling head over heels for each other on Big Brother in 2006. Although Pete ended his relationship with Nikki – who was renowned for her diary room rants – after just a month, she told Loose Women a decade later she’d “always be fond of him”. Speaking at the time, Nikki admitted she “hated it” when she realised she was “falling in love” with Pete, who went on to win the seventh series of Big Brother. “It was never meant to be. But I loved him at the time. Truly, it was special,” she gushed.

When we spoke exclusively to Pete about losing Nikki, he talked about his agonising sadness over her death. “I was lucky enough to have been her BB7 sweetheart and to call her my friend in the years that came,” Pete explained. “I am so sad she’s gone, but I know she’s with the angels now.” The Big Brother champion finished by sending a sweet message to his late ex-girlfriend, saying, “Goodbye, for now, Nikki. Love always.”