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Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Christopher Biggins: ‘I earned £1m after winning I'm a Celebrity'
Actor and director Christopher Biggins, 76, has graced the screen and stage for more than 50 years. He rose to prominence with his portrayal of Lukewarm in the prison comedy, Porridge, before taking on the scene-stealing role of Nero in I, Claudius. In 2007, he was crowned king of the jungle on I'm a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! Biggins, as he is affectionately known, and his long-time partner, Neil Sinclair, live in east London. How did money shape your upbringing? My mother and father, Pam and Bill, bought a house in Salisbury, but couldn't afford the mortgage, so they sold up and we moved into a caravan. We eventually got a house with no bathroom, just an outside lavatory and a tin bath that was dragged out on Mondays. It was a pretty frugal life, but I never wanted for anything. My parents worked very hard. My father sold motorcycles, and then cars and doubled as a motor mechanic, so he worked all hours. My mother worked in the cocktail bar at the Cathedral Hotel, which was a very swanky place back then. They also took in a lodger, Jock, who stayed for 11 years. They saved and saved, and my father's business thrived. The result was they could afford to send me to private school, installed a bathroom and the tin bath was jettisoned. What was your first job? When I left school, I went to Salisbury rep as an assistant stage manager on £2 a week, with my parents heavily subsidising me, paying for my transport and letting me live at home. I was an only child until age 18 when, as I was preparing to leave to go to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, my mother suddenly mentioned she was pregnant. I couldn't believe that one's parents still did it at that age! But I got my brother Sean out of it, which was lovely. They still helped with money for another two years. Did you think you'd make a living out of acting? No, never. But my father and mother were brilliant in supporting me from 16 to 20, so I could pursue a career on the stage. When I was 20, though, my father said I needed a backup, not least as they now had Sean. He knew I wasn't interested in motorbikes and cars, so he suggested we open an antiques shop, as we both liked bric-a-brac, which I'd run, and I could earn enough for a deposit. Did your career in antiques take off? Well, I'd sit in this shop and see no one all day, and then suddenly at five o'clock, there'd be a rush of about 15 people who all stole from you. So, that didn't seem like much of a job, and I gave it up for acting. Eventually, my father sold up, although he dabbled in bric-a-brac from the back of his garage for many years. I put all my energy into acting and have never looked back. I must add, my father was right, as he recognised how precarious a career acting is. No regrets? No, I've been very fortunate to be able to look back on a wonderful 60-odd-year career, but my father was right. When people come to me for advice about going into theatre, I always say don't do it because it's a horrible profession. I know so many brilliant actors who never got a break. It's all about being in the right place at the right time. What was your big break? Playing Lukewarm in Porridge, alongside Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale and David Jason. I was on £90 an episode, which was great in 1974. When it was repeated on BBC One or BBC Two, I used to get over £1,000 an episode. However, in a bad moment, the BBC decided to sell all these sitcoms to the free-to-air stations, which means I get nothing for the repeats. If we were in America, I'd be a multi-millionaire because you get repeat fees forever over there. Did having this part make you feel more financially secure? I was very lucky because when I was in Salisbury rep, I met two actors: Jonathan Cecil and Vivien Heilbron. They had a lovely house in Fulham, and gave me two rooms, a bedroom and a sitting room, and the use of a kitchen, all for £4 a week. As you can imagine, being on £90 an episode, I became readily accustomed to a style of living that I have maintained ever since. I had enough money to afford to eat out in restaurants regularly, and in those days, you could go to a restaurant in Covent Garden called Luigi's and have a bowl of pasta, a glass of red wine and a coffee for £6. I don't know how young people these days exist, because restaurants are so expensive. What's been your career highlight? Nero in I, Claudius was a wonderful part, a great experience, and to this day, I believe I was Nero in a previous life. Soon after that, I played the sex-crazed vicar in Poldark, which was also marvellous. But I think the most life-changing experience was winning I'm a Celebrity through the public vote, which gives you amazing confidence. I got paid £50,000 for doing it, much less than they get now, but it opened doors and it was a wonderfully lucrative period. I earned £1m in the year after the jungle. Where do you live? We have a very pretty three-bed house near Victoria Park in east London, which was designed by the architect Piers Gough. It's chock-full of artwork, so much so that we don't know the word wallpaper. We also have a one-bed flat in Stratford East, which we let. Although with all the associated costs, cladding problems and so on, we may sell. Are you a spender or a saver? I'm a spender, but as you get older, you realise you have what you need. You don't need another microwave. All you need is to have a nice life. I suppose the most expensive thing in our lives is going abroad on holiday. What's been your best financial decision? Buying this house. I paid £50,000 for it 36 years ago. It's worth considerably more now. Do you have a pension? I have the state pension, which I paid in over all those years, and that gives me enough to get by on, before I earn through the day job. I'm not saying pensioners are rich, but it does help, especially with the shocking water, gas and electricity bills. I have no private pension. Do you have any plans to retire? No. I am a bit like the Frank Sinatra of the pantomime world. I finish a run and think that's it, but I keep coming back, and will be on stage as King Richard in Robin Hood at the Birmingham Hippodrome this Christmas.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Christopher Biggins reveals truth behind his jaw-dropping weight loss live on TV and leaves Eamonn Holmes gasping in shock
Christopher Biggins opened up about the truth behind his jaw-dropping weight loss live on TV. The 76-year-old appeared on GB News earlier this week to chat to hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello on their breakfast show. The presenters, Christopher and journalist Dawn Neesom, 60, got talking about some the latest headlines during Monday's episode, which included the news that the weight loss jabs could reduce risk of cancer. Christopher gave his opinion on the medicine and admitted that he has taken it himself - and it has had a positive impact on him. He said: 'I'm on a weight loss jab and it's great, it's really good. Unfortunately, it cuts your appetite enormously. 'Last night, for instance, Neil (Sinclair) and I were heading out to the awards and watched them on television. The 76-year-old, pictured back in 2010, gave his opinion on the medicine and admitted that he has taken it himself - and it has had a positive impact on him 'We decided to have some Chicken Kyiv, we shared one, and I only ate a quarter of that. 'Neil said: "Why didn't you eat?" and I said "because of this drug," it works brilliantly and I have lost quite a lot of weight.' He added: 'It's good, and if it does help with cancer, that is fantastic.' Eamonn chimed in: 'Another benefit a lot of people will say is, of course, you hear the scare stories all the time, but the long and short if it is, you find yourself feeling that "I am healthier because I'm lighter, I'm not puffing and wheezing".' The star admitted that due to his weight loss he has been able to walk better, two years after having knee surgery. He also eats a lot less, although there are downsides. Ellie pointed out: 'There's joy in eating as well, isn't there?' Christopher admitted: 'There's a lot of joy in eating, it is one of the wonderful things ever, to sit down and have a good meal. However, his next comment ruffled feathers, even prompting a gasp from Eamonn. 'I find that, funnily enough, as I'm getting older, I've gone off steak. 'I find it too much.' Christopher isn't the only celebrity who has decided to take Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. It comes after Nicola McClean bravely opened up about her ongoing eating disorder and admitted that she was weighing herself after everything that she consumed at rock bottom. The former glamour model, 43, appeared on the most recent episode of Vanessa Feltz 's Channel 5 show Vanessa, and they got chatting about the topic of weight. Vanessa, 63, asked Nicola: 'Have you ever had an issue with weight?' Nicola said: 'Yeah so I am a recovering anorexic. I'll be honest, I still do suffer with bulimia. 'It's very managed at the minute, but it's one of the ones I can't kick it, if I'm really honest.' Bulimia (bulimia nervosa) is an eating disorder and serious mental health condition. It can affect anyone and treatment may take time, but you can recover from it. According to Beat Eating Disorders, Anorexia is: 'A serious mental illness where a person restricts their food intake, which often causes them to be severely underweight.' She continued: 'The anorexia, I went down to under six stone when I had my second child. I wasn't eating anything, I'd weigh myself even after having water. 'I'd throw everything up that I did consume, even water. I ended up in a really bad way. 'As I say, the bulimia, I think it's an OCD as well, it's like when things get stressful in my life, it's my go to.' Vanessa was keen to know what her view on weight loss jabs are after medicine such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have become a popular tool for people in recent months to shed some pounds. Nicola explained: 'What I think about them is that I think that they are fantastic, obviously you're proof that they are and if they are done well and done correctly, they are so good.' However the star has highlighted how dangerous they can be, after she managed to get hold of some herself on social media. 'But I managed to get one over Instagram and I was doing it. 'For someone obviously, who has a mental health illness with eating disorders, it's absolutely the wrong thing for me to be doing. Nicola pictured back in 2004 confessed that she did get hold of weight loss jabs - but they made her unwell and her husband threw them away 'I should never have been given it. I lied to get it. 'But I should never have been given it, so I feel like if it's more readily available on the NHS, we can stop going down the dark route of getting them. 'If I'd have gone to my GP and said I feel like I need them. They would have maybe been able to say Nicola where are you at the minute with your eating disorder?' WHAT IS BULIMIA? Bulimia (bulimia nervosa) is an eating disorder and serious mental health condition. It can affect anyone and treatment may take time, but you can recover from it. The main signs of bulimia are: Purging may include making yourself sick (vomiting), taking laxative or diuretic medicines, avoiding eating for long periods of time, exercising excessively, or a combination of these. The main treatments are: Talking therapies, medicines (such as antidepressants, if you have another mental health condition) and support from a nutrition specialist Source: NHS Vanessa replied: 'They would. If you went to a GP and said "let's measure your BMI, you're not eligible for it I'm afraid." 'And you wouldn't have been able to get it.' Guest Anthea Turner asked: 'Why didn't you? What stopped you going to your doctor?' Nicola replied: 'Because I knew I wouldn't get one. 'I knew I wouldn't get one. 'I wanted one and un fortunately with any active addiction, you will manipulate to get what you want.' Vanessa asked: 'Tell me something, when you were actually taking the jabs, did you feel that the food noise went away?' Nicola confessed: 'Yeah. That is one thing. 'I think even my husband, who has been really great over my eating disorder, he understands the food noise. 'He doesn't have it, but he understands it. 'When I have, I've also had slimming pills from the black market, I've done everything that you could possibly done to lose weight. 'When you get that disconnect and to stop thinking about food... 'It's so nice. It's so nice. 'So to be able to have that for a month was amazing but I was very sick, my husband ended up throwing it in the bin, he was like this is no good for you.
