Mum breaks barriers with Big Brother
APPEARING on Big Brother is an achievement in more ways than one for Danni Keogh.
The local mum-of-two was forced to give up her career as a hairdresser two years ago when she was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), which affects her nervous system and mobility.
But that didn’t stop the long-time Big Brother fan from applying for Channel 7’s reboot of the reality show, which features physically demanding Survivor- style nomination challenges.
“When I was diagnosed, it completely changed my life and pushed it into a different direction,” she told the Bulletin.
“In those horrible, dark moments of being diagnosed with any disability it really changes you as a person and it makes you grasp every opportunity.
“I’m a big believer in things happening for a reason, and if I didn’t get diagnosed with this condition then I would never have left my job as a hairdresser and I never would have gone on
Big Brother.”
Selected as one of just 20 contestants out of more than 50,000 applicants, the 34-yearold is out to prove disability is no barrier to achieving your goals.
“I want people to understand you may not always see a disability. Someone may have a smile but there may be other things going on,” she said.
“Some of the Big Brother
challenges were challenging for a normal person, so for someone with a disability to do that I really pushed myself.
“Small things in the house were really big achievements for me.”
Danni makes her debut as a “late comer” on the show tonight.
She and three other housemates arrive in dramatic fashion, craned into the Big Brother house in a locked cage.
The existing housemates must weigh up how long to leave them in the cage to earn rewards.
“Being I am such a Big Brother fan, I know what the preconceptions and the results are of people who come in late,” she said.
“You’re already giving these housemates a reason to vote you out, so we were coming in on the back foot.
“You could see the conversations that you knew were about you and that you were being judged already.
“I knew I couldn’t be forceful in getting to know people and getting my personality out there.”
Big Brother airs tonight at 7.30 on Seven.