![\"Craig](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_Good-Morning-Britain-TV-show-London-UK-06-Oct-2023.jpg\")
Cheeky chappy Craig Phillips has come a long way since winning the first ever series(Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/REX\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\nIt’s been 25 years since builder Craig Phillips walked out of thefirst series of Big Brother victorious. He opens up about what it was really like and his new life in Majorca<\/p>\n
07:00, 27 Sep 2025Updated 07:17, 27 Sep 2025<\/p>\n
Cheeky chappy Craig Phillips has come a long way since winning the first ever series(Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/REX\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
He might have stepped into the Big Brother house<\/a> as a 28-year-old builder from Liverpool, but in September 2000, Craig Phillips<\/a> made television history as the now iconic reality show\u2019s very first winner. Capturing the nation\u2019s hearts with his cheeky charm and generosity \u2013 donating his \u00a370,000 prize money to a friend in need \u2013 overnight, he swapped hard hats for headlines, with a whirlwind TV career.<\/p>\n Today, Craig has settled into a quieter, sun-kissed family life in Majorca, <\/a>where he and his wife of almost 10 years, Laura, raise their two young children. Lennon, four, and Nelly, six. Here, he reflects in an exclusive chat with OK!<\/a> on how far he\u2019s come…<\/p>\n READ MORE: Big Brother fans threaten to ‘cancel subscriptions’<\/a>READ MORE: M&S shoppers can bag 1kg boxes of luxury chocolate worth \u00a335 for \u00a319 with money-saving deal<\/a> Craig! How\u2019s life been since your whirlwind win?<\/p>\n September 15 2020, my life changed forever. I didn\u2019t expect to win at all. The whole build-up \u2013 about nine months of applications, screen tests, psychiatric screening, medicals, police checks \u2013 gave me confidence because I got shortlisted from about 45,000 people. I got the call saying, \u201cCraig, you\u2019re in \u2013 you\u2019re one of the 10.\u201d I felt like I\u2019d already won.<\/p>\n What was it like being under surveillance?<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t easy. Viewers saw a cleverly-edited version, but we were living it 24\/7. Often I sat there bored, thinking, \u201cHow can anyone make an entertaining programme out of this?\u201d We exhausted all conversations, a production would give us topics or games to spark things up. Only now do I understand how clever the mechanics of reality TV were.<\/p>\n How has Big Brother changed since your day?<\/p>\n Ironically, I didn\u2019t watch my own series at the time. Instead, through interviews and iconic clips, I relived what viewers saw. From series two I watched for six or seven years but, after a while, it started to feel stale. Channel 5 brought it back too soon. Good hosts are one thing, but without standout characters, you can\u2019t make great TV.<\/p>\n What moment still lingers with you vividly?<\/p>\n The confrontation with \u201cNasty Nick\u201d when he was kicked out for cheating \u2013 that was a low moment. We all felt betrayed, we had a soft spot for him. Production even brought in a psychoanalyst to check on our wellbeing. To lift us, Big Brother<\/a> gave us a takeaway and some cheap wine. Suddenly our mood flipped \u2013 a bit of food and drink and we were back on a high.<\/p>\n What have you done since leaving the house?<\/p>\n Luckily, I had a trade before Big Brother \u2013 I loved my building work. I never set out to be famous but we explored opportunities in makeover TV. My first big show was with ITV<\/a> \u2019s Renovation Street, then BBC<\/a> show House Call. After that, I signed a four-year exclusive with the BBC, doing about 150 shows a year. Over time, I did over 2,000 makeover shows across the UK and even abroad with the military in places like Bosnia, Cyprus, the Falklands and Canada.<\/p>\n Do you think reality TV has changed a lot?<\/p>\n Massively. Back then, there was no social media. Now, everything lives forever and you\u2019ve got millions of people weighing in. It\u2019s a double-edged sword. People can lift you up, but they can also tear you down brutally.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s been your favourite celebrity to watch?<\/p>\n The earliest series\u2019 were my favourites. One moment \u2013 not because it was \u201cgood\u201d \u2013 was when David Bowie\u2019s ex-wife was in the house and news of his death broke. The miscommunication that happened with Tiffany Pollard was shocking, chaotic and hard to watch. It was tragic for his family, but in terms of TV, unforgettable.<\/p>\n Who\u2019d be your dream housemate ?<\/p>\n Ricky Hatton. I was devastated to hear of his passing. Ricky was a close friend. He even sent Laura and me a video message on our wedding day. His energy was beautiful. Second would be Robbie Williams. I\u2019ve met him several times \u2013 always kind. We\u2019ve had a few surreal conversations about fame \u2013 how he worked his whole life to achieve it, and mine came suddenly from Big Brother.<\/p>\n How did you and your wife, Laura, meet?<\/p>\n About 10 years ago, in the green room of shopping channel Ideal World. I was demonstrating one of my power tools, and Laura was modelling sports clothing. I think my first line to her was, \u201cWould you like some chicken?\u201d One day she came back to mine, stayed over\u2026 and never left! Within a week, I told her: \u201cI\u2019m going to marry you one day.\u201d And sure enough, I did.<\/p>\n Do your kids understand that dad was on TV?<\/p>\n Lennon\u2019s too young to get it, but Nelly\u2019s starting to. There are a lot of British people here in Majorca, and she notices when people stop me. At first she was confused, like, \u201cDo you know that lady, Dad? Why does she know your name?\u201d<\/p>\n Her dad was one of the OGs…<\/p>\n A few weeks ago, an online article came out in England about the 25th anniversary. It included about 15 minutes of footage from the first day I entered the house. I\u2019d never actually seen that before. SI showed Nelly and said, \u201cThis is the Big Brother house. This is why strangers say hello.\u201d I captured her little face on camera as the penny dropped. Priceless.<\/p>\n What\u2019s next for you all?<\/p>\n We\u2019ve been settling into life in Majorca – the kids both go to an international school over here. We\u2019ll keep making videos, that\u2019s our bread and butter. But we\u2019ve been talking about starting a podcast, focused on expat life. It feels like the natural next step.<\/p>\n If Lennon and Nelly wanted to do Big Brother in future, how would you feel?<\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t stop them., I was part of that world<\/a> myself. What I\u2019d hope to do is teach them the dangers, make sure they can hold their own and have a backup plan if it doesn\u2019t work out.<\/p>\n * Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat <\/a>, Instagram <\/a>, Twitter <\/a>, Facebook <\/a>, YouTube <\/a>and Threads <\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Craig](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1_SHOWBIZ-BrotherCraig-leaves-5.jpg\")
The likeable Liverpudlian made history when he won the very first series of Big Brother(Image: Press Association)<\/p>\n![\"Craig](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1_Craig-Phillips.jpg\")
The reality star and his family now call Majorca home(Image: Instagram)<\/p>\n![\"Craig](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1_BB-1-Winner-craig-phillips.jpg\")
Craig went on to front a host of DIY shows(Image: Mercury Press Agency Ltd.)<\/p>\n![\"RIK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3_Back-To-RealityEntertainment.jpg\")
The now 53-year-old is one of the most iconic contestants in its history alongside the likes of the late Jade Goody andNick Bateman<\/p>\n