The new season of Big Brother UK has hit screens with a vibrant mix of 12 housemates. Still, one Big Brother contestant is already capturing attention both inside the house and among viewers at home: Zelah, a trans 25-year-old personal trainer who proudly shared that he began living openly as a man just two years ago.

Dubbed by fans as “the hottest guy of the season,” Zelah’s openness about being trans has resonated strongly. In his intro, he revealed that people are often surprised to learn about his identity, before offering a line that has quickly become one of the series’ standout quotes: “Why would I choose to go from the luxury sanctuary that is the women’s (bathroom), to the horror that is the men’s?”

His mix of honesty and humour feels refreshing, and his warm energy positions him as someone viewers will root for.

Zelah also introduced himself in a typically cheeky style: “I constantly get compared to a spaniel dog. I’m pretty unbearable if I don’t get my 12,000 steps a day.”

Half-Indian and half-English, he joked about his mullet and tank top while claiming he usually struggles with “bro-y guys.” That self-deprecating humour paired with a laid-back charm could make him both a housemate’s favourite companion and a public darling.

Fans later swooned online when Zelah introduced them to his support teddy bear; however, a few hearts were left broken and hopes destroyed when Zelah revealed it was, in fact, his girlfriend who bought the teddy for him.

Crucially, Zelah isn’t alone in representing the LGBTQ+ community this season. He’s joined by Gani, a 39-year-old Pizza Hut manager who has openly identified as bisexual since 2022. Gani brought warmth (and a memorable analogy) into the house, comparing sexuality to pizza: “If you’re given a dish you don’t try, you don’t know.”

Then there’s Sam, a 27-year-old genderfluid Zumba instructor and pop performer who goes by the stage name Smashby. Sam uses they/he/she pronouns and is one of the first genderfluid contestants in Big Brother UK history.

For Zelah, in particular, his journey connects directly to Big Brother UK’s proud legacy of trans representation, following in the footsteps of previous winners Nadia Almada (2004) and Luke Anderson (2012), as well as Hallie Clarke, who came out as trans during last year’s reboot.

If the first week is anything to go by, Zelah isn’t just a housemate, he’s quickly becoming the heart and heart-throb of this year’s Big Brother story.

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