WHEN Lateysha Grace starred in Big Brother in 2016 she had no idea a housemate would become one of the most controversial people on the planet.
In fact, no one did. Nine years ago, , 38, was unknown outside of the martial arts world where he had tasted success as a kickboxer.
But his short week-long stint in the house gave viewers a glimpse of what was to come.
He was pulled from the show after it emerged he was part of an active rape investigation, which was subsequently ended without charge in 2019.
Prior to his exit, racist and homophobic tweets had been discovered on his Twitter account and a concerning video was circulating that showed him striking a woman with a belt.
These days he has a huge online following and was the third most Googled person in the world in 2023. He has described himself as a misogynist, calling women “intrinsically lazy” and “barely sentient”, and is regarded as having a toxic influence on boys and young men.
Parallels are now being drawn between Tate and current CBB housemate , after the A-list actor was given a formal warning for using a homophonic slur against female co-star .
His entrance into the house also sparked complaints to broadcasting regulator Ofcom for leering at host , and he had to be dragged through the doors.
Speaking exclusively to Flying Eze on behalf of Heart Bingo, Lateysha, 32, reveals what it was like living with Tate and how current stars can learn from her series and address Rourke's troubling behaviour.
She says: “None of my friends are like that. To live with someone that has them kind of values was just strange. But like I said, we would always just bring him up on the derogatory comments he made or the weird little things he used to say. But it's a weird feeling.
“I actually can't believe that I lived with Andrew Tate after seeing the person he is. Because he obviously did say things in the Big Brother house, but he kept it quite tame.
“The Andrew Tate that I see now on social media and going viral or whatever, it's not the person that I lived with. I don't know whether he puts it on for show. I don't know whether he's turned into someone new. But yeah, he was just a bit odd in the Big Brother house when I lived with him.”
Tate and his brother Tristan are currently facing a number of legal cases including accusations they formed an organised crime group and carried out human trafficking. They deny any wrongdoing.
They are also set to be extradited to the UK to face claims relating to sexual aggression once their case with the Romanian authorities is settled.
The mum-of-two said Tate, who repeatedly boasted of being a master manipulator, was racked with paranoia in the house.
She continues: “He thought everyone was out to attack him and everyone was playing a game. He was a weird character.
“It's actually crazy. My fiancé was like, ‘oh, you was in the house with Andrew Tate’. I said, ‘was I?’ I was so gobsmacked because he was two different people to what you see now on social media compared to living with him.”
Pointing out the differences between the two controversial alpha males' career trajectories, Lateysha says: “It's crazy because Mickey was this big superstar and he's taken a nosedive.
“But Andrew Tate was literally nobody in Big Brother when we were there. And now he's just everywhere. He's like a viral sensation, but for the wrong reasons.”
She doesn't expect Rourke to make it through the show without quitting or being given the boot, and thinks his co-stars are strong enough to take him to task when necessary.
“Even though he is super famous as they make it out, I think that they won't really take his bullsh*t and they will actually pull him up on it,” says Lateysha.
“At the end of the day, he might be famous, but they're all one in there and I don't think that they will stand for his sh*t really.”
TELLY COMEBACK
The 2016 civilian series of the show was won by with Lateysha finishing 11th.
Her most famous Big Brother moment came after she'd been evicted and spoke to Rylan Clark on spin off, Bit On The Side.
She attempted to twerk in a denim mini dress that zipped up the back and as she did so it popped open to reveal her pink G-string as she shrieked in shock.
Lateysha has taken a step away from reality TV in recent years to raise her two young children but would like a comeback 12 years on from finding fame on MTV‘s The Valleys.
She says: “I am starting to feel like I'm missing out because I dived into the TV world when I was 18.
“And I feel like it's all I know and what I'm really good at. So I think this year I am going to dip my toe back in. I'm not sure what or when, but I definitely feel like I'm ready to get back in TV now because I love it and I miss it.”
She laughs: “I wouldn't be getting my vagina out on TV, like The Valleys. I think obviously I've changed as a person, most definitely, like parenting changes you, but also age changes you.
“I'm 32 now. So I think I'm still myself, obviously, but I'm a mum now too but I'm still me.”
