Big Brother has finally returned with a brand new house and a whole new host of housemates - and the third contestant to enter the brand new house was Hallie Clarke. This week, she opened up to contestants about her life as a trans woman, but viewers were concerned after the 18-year-old was asked some 'uncomfortable' questions by fellow housemates.
What did Farida ask Hallie about being trans?
Fellow housemate Farida was shown curiously asking Hallie some questions after admitting it was important to educate herself. However, viewers were left concerned when Farida asked Hallie whether or not men who fancied her would be considered gay.
After the 50 year old make-up artist asked the question, Hallie replied 'I won't have sex until I have my full transition. There's men out there who specifically like trans women, and there's men out there that will just see me as a man, and just be with me as a woman.'
Hallie later discussed the moment with her housemates, admitting that the questions were 'frustrating', saying 'I was like, you need to chill out babe. If that made them gay I would be a man.'
Despite the uncomfortable moment for Hallie, the pair later broke the ice, with Farida explaining 'I was just curious because I feel it's my first opportunity... Different people celebrating their culture and what they're about.' Hallie insisted she took no offence to Farida's comment, but viewers online were divided over the way the subject was approached.
One fan reacted, 'I don't blame Hallie one second for being annoyed with Farida. By all means ask questions to get educated but those were inappropriate.' Another wrote, 'Farida means well, but I don't think that was the time nor place to have that conversation with Hallie. Hallie was open to educating Farida, but I think it should have been less public.'
And Hallie's mum later appeared on spin-off show Late & Live to break her silence. Praising her daughter for handling the situation how she did, Hallie's mum said 'She knows when to stop it if a line gets crossed, but she also knows that she does have to explain as well. Some people don't know.'
Want to know more about Hallie Clarke? Here's everything to know about this year's youngest housemate...
Who is Big Brother's Hallie Clarke?
Hallie was the third contestant to enter the brand-new Big Brother house. When asked how her friends and family would describe her, she said 'I'm a bit of a diva and I speak my mind, but I'm also a lovely person. I'm a girl's girl, for sure.'
But don't expect this housemate to bite her tongue. Admitting that her mouth could get her into trouble, Hallie said 'I'm quite opinionated, I like speaking my mind and not many people like that. I'm quite real.' And there could be some clashes coming up - with Hallie saying she's most likely to be nominated by her fellow housemates from 'being lazy and having an opinion.'
How old is Big Brother's Hallie Clarke?
At just 18 years old, Hallie is the show's youngest contestant after 21-year-old butcher Tom. The youngest contestant to enter the house, Hallie admitted that she didn't grow up loving the reality show. In fact, she wasn't even alive when it first aired.
She shared, 'I feel like Big Brother is the biggest social experiment and I want to be a part of it. It's about getting my face out there and just having fun, enjoying life. I'm only 18 so I didn't grow up watching it but as I got older, I would watch it on YouTube and stuff, so I've been a fan.'
But while she's young, she insists she's not your average teen. When talking to one of her fellow housemates, Hallie insisted she was very 'mature, resilient, and empowering' for her age.
And the star won't tolerate being treated like the baby of the house. In her video, she teased, 'If I feel like I'm being talked to like a child, I really won't like it.'
Where is Big Brother's Hallie Clarke from?
The housemate comes from South London.
What job does Big Brother's Hallie Clarke do?
When she's not busy being a BB housemate, Hallie works as a youth worker.
What has Big Brother's Hallie Clarke said about being a trans woman?
The youth worker opened up about being a transgender woman early on in the series, gathering her fellow contestants round the dining table and telling them, 'Yesterday I feel like I wasn't being 100% authentic in myself. I thought I'd let everyone know I'm trans, if you didn't know already. I just thought I'd make that loud and clear. I'm a trans woman.' Straight after the news, the house sat around the table to share their pronouns.
Since sharing the news, the star has already had some open conversations on the show - talking about her transition process and getting candid about hormone therapy. And it isn't just her fellow housemates who praised the teen. Big Brother viewers rushed to social media to share their love for Hallie.
Praising the scenes, one viewer wrote, 'Hallie coming out as a trans woman, her getting loads of hugs, and then doing a pronoun check of the whole group is the most adorably wholesome thing and what I really needed.'
What is gender-affirming surgery?
During the second episode, Hallie shared that she'd put a big chunk of the prize money towards gender-affirming surgery if she were to win - prompting a wave of searches for what exactly gender-affirming surgery is. Revealing that she didn't want to wait five years on busy NHS wait lists, the teen shared her plans to get her 'designer vagina' privately. Gender-affirming surgery helps put people in a body that matches who they are, relieving gender dysphoria that may be felt.
It describes a surgical procedure - or a series of procedures - that altar ones physical appearance and sexual characteristics to align with their identified gender. Feminisation surgeries often include vaginoplasty (referred to by Hallie as her 'designer vagina') and breast augmentation, along with facial feminisation surgeries. On the other hand, masculinisation surgeries include things such as breast reductions and phalloplasty (construction or reconstruction of a penis).
Has Big Brother had a trans contestant before?
Out of 19 Big Brother winners, two have been trans. In 2004, Nadia Almada stole the nation's hearts and became the first transgender person to win in Big Brother history. Eight years later in 2012, Luke Anderson became the first trans man to win the show.
Few shows have challenged misconceptions over religion, sexuality, class, and race quite like Big Brother - with host AJ Odudu previously saying 'That's what's always been so beautiful about [the show], and actually something that's not been credited to the show enough.'
What has Hallie said about Big Brother?
On what she's most looking forward to in the iconic house, Hallie said she couldn't wait for 'the tasks and all the different personalities. I imagine it's all extroverted people.'
And on her dream housemate? 'Alison Hammond. She is just so hilarious.'
If the teen wins the prize money, she's already planned out how to spend it. 'I'd give my mum a couple of grand just to say thank you for everything she's done for me, and to give her flowers,' she revealed.
Big Brother returns to ITV1, ITV2 and ITVX on Sunday 8th October at 9pm. Big Brother continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.