Squealing Rachel is surprise BB winner

Rachel Rice was the surprise winner of the ninth series of Big Brother.

The 24-year-old trainee teacher, from Torfaen, south Wales, beat blind Mikey Hughes to win the title.

The result had been too close to call all night, with the bookies’ favourite regularly changing.

When her name was announced, Rachel said “Oh my God, no way” and then hugged Mikey and told him “I love you so much.”

Rachel then guided the blind 33-year-old radio producer to the Big Brother door and told him to be careful of the steps.

She won the reality show with 51.3% of the public vote.

Rachel came out of the house to a fireworks display, squealing and thanking the crowds.

She told McCall: “These things just don’t happen. Honestly, you dream about going on Big Brother but then when you actually win, it’s like, how?”

The 24-year-old’s fellow housemates criticised her for not having an opinion and for being fake. But she said: “Honestly Davina, how can you not be who you are if you’re in there for 13 weeks?

“I’ve learnt to be true to who you are. People can try and tell you you’re fake and try and break you down.

“I know who I am, it’s fine.”

Rachel said she was shocked by the surprise evictions on Wednesday.

“As soon as they went it was such a shock because I was convinced we were all going to be together (for the final),” she said.

“It literally breaks your heart. It’s not the same. It does have a totally different atmosphere in the house.”

Rachel is a former child actor who featured alongside Hugh Grant in the film Night Train To Venice.

She performed in three other films and more than 20 adverts but stopped acting when she had to choose between films and her education.

The trainee teacher is a fitness fanatic, training at the gym five times a week.

Rachel, who was criticised in the house for being boring and sitting on the fence, defended herself by saying: “That was their opinion and maybe to them I am boring, but the fact we were in the final five was just a big boost and thank you all for that.

Mikey came second in the ninth series of Big Brother with 49.7% of the public vote.

He said he had so many favourite memories from Big Brother and he particularly loved the unscripted nature of the show.

Mikey said he always spoke his mind in the house and stood up to any bullies.

Talking about his blindness he said: “Obviously in the outside world people treat people with blindness differently.

“If anybody gave me negative attitude I would just stand up and say no.”

During the 93 days in the house the Big Brother housemates consumed more than 480 pints of milk, 1,360 teabags, 25 whole halal chickens, 84 1kg bags of brown rice, 686 eggs and 162 cans of cider.