Trans lottery winner:
After winning £4million on a scratchcard, Melissa Ede says she can’t wait to get the surgery of her dreams and become even more glamorous than Caitlyn Jenner
“I’ll use my millions to look better than Caitlyn”
ulling into the P petrol station and grabbing her daily scratchcard, Melissa Ede had no idea that her whole life was about to change. After matching three lucky symbols, the transgender mother-of-four won a staggering £4million – allowing her to finally quit her job as a taxi driver and plan her dream wedding.
Now, 57-year-old Melissa – who formerly went by the name of Lesley and transitioned in 2011 – says she is planning to use the rest of the money on a no-expense-spared makeover, so she can be the woman she’s always wanted to be.
And to give her a taste of her impending new glamorous lifestyle, Closer invited Melissa along to a photo shoot and gave her a makeover to look like the world’s most famous transgender woman, Caitlyn Jenner. Melissa says, “I loved the makeover! It was great fun and I looked so different that nobody recognised me afterwards.
“It was so classy that it’s made me consider getting a more natural hair colour and hiring a make-up artist for special events, to help me recreate the look. It was also great to do the Caitlyn shoot because it’s so iconic. And if it helps to raise awareness for the trans community, then that’s a bonus.”
TIME TO SHINE
Melissa, who lives in Hull, says, “Money has always been a struggle. Sometimes I’d live off cereal, because I couldn’t afford anything else to eat. So when I discovered I was a millionaire, it felt amazing. I plan on giving away some of my winnings to charity, as well as using them to set up my own business and buy a house.
“But I also want to get a facelift, nose job and Botox, so I can look like the glamorous woman I was born to be. I’ve had many difficulties throughout my life, but now is my time to shine.”
Melissa – who first hit the headlines after appearing on Jeremy Kyle and Judge Rinder, discussing fallouts with her family following her transition – worked as a taxi driver, and on 30 December last year, she started her day by topping up on fuel.
She says, “I’d always go to the petrol station and buy a £2 scratchcard and a pack of cigarettes. However, when I got to the till, the £10 scratchcard was calling out to me, so I went with my instincts and bought that one instead.”
When Melissa got back to her car, she began scratching off the ticket and couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw she was a winner.
She says, “I was praying for £100 to help pay for Christmas presents I still owed people. So when I read that I had won £4million, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I ran back into the shop and shouted, ‘You’ve just made me a millionaire!’ The cashier didn’t believe me and asked to see the
❛I WANT TO GET A FACELIFT, NOSE JOB AND BOTOX❜
ticket, but there was no way I was handing it over.”
Melissa then drove to see her partner, cleaner Rachel Nason, 37, whom she met last February through their mutual love of ghost hunting, to tell her the good news. She says, “Rachel didn’t believe me at first. But when she saw the ticket, she was over the moon. She’d proposed four days earlier, and we went out and bought a ring later that day. It felt fabulous. We’d talked about getting married before, but never had enough money to go through with it.”
‘FAKE LOVE’
Now the couple are looking for a house together so they can settle down and plan their big day. However, other members of Melissa’s family weren’t so happy about her win.
She says, “I was devastated when I read in the papers that my children had disowned me because I’d transitioned. I haven’t had contact with two of my kids for nearly 20 years, because their mother didn’t allow me access. But I spoke to the other two recently and said that I would meet with them after things died down.
“However, I’m not interested in ‘fake love’ because I’ve now got money. If my kids come back into my life, it’s going to be a very long time before they get any cash out of me.”
Instead, Melissa is going to share her money with people who have supported her and donated to her failed Gofundme appeal for new teeth. She also wants to make a donation to a local charity. And with the rest of the winnings, she is planning a radical new look.
Melissa says, “I’ve always been inspired by celebrities like Lady Gaga because I love her unique style. And I think Caitlyn Jenner is incredibly glamorous. I’ve only ever been able to afford clothes from Primark, but now I’m going to use my money to update my wardrobe so I can finally knock her off her pedestal!”
MORE SURGERY
To complete her makeover, Melissa also plans on going under the knife. She says, “I had full gender reassignment surgery in 2011, as well as hormone therapy to grow breasts. Although I feel like a fabulous woman on the inside, I’ve never had the funds to reflect that in my appearance. “I want Botox and lip fillers to make me look younger. And I’ve always been self-conscious about my smile, so I would love to get veneers. I’m also planning on getting a facelift and a nose job.
“The procedures will cost about £40,000, but I don’t think you can put a price on feeling confident.”
And Melissa has high hopes for her future. She says, “Me and Rachel are very hard-working. She will continue to work as a cleaner, while I’m hoping to launch a clothing line and release an autobiography – plus I’ve had offers to do my own reality TV show. I’m going to be the next Kardashian! I’ve promised myself that, this time next year, I’ll have turned my £4m fortune into £10m – and I know it’ll happen, because I get everything I want. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”