Trisha Goddard has been showing a ‘high level of bravery’ in the Celebrity Big Brother house, despite her terminal cancer diagnosis, a body language expert has revealed
Trisha Goddard entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday night (7 April) and has been showing ‘bravery’ amid her terminal cancer diagnosis, a body language expert has revealed.
The former chat show queen has faced a battle with breast cancer since 2008 after a hospital visit for a running injury unexpectedly led to a shattering diagnosis. Trisha, who had initially bounced back from cancer, faced a harsh recurrence over ten years later as the cancer spread to her bones. In February 2024, the TV star sadly announced that her incurable breast cancer – also known as metastatic or stage 4 breast cancer – had returned.
In a brave move, and despite her ongoing health battle, Trisha joined this year’s Celebrity Big Brother line-up as she vowed, “I must keep enjoying what I have always enjoyed.” She was all smiles as she met her new housemates at the start of the week and displayed a poignant signal amid her cancer battle.
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Following on from Monday’s launch show, body language expert Judi James weighed in on Trisha’s appearance. Speaking to Paddy Power Games (games.paddypower.com), Judi shared: “Trish’s body language threw up strong contrasts. Her eye-roll emphasis when she insisted she was ‘not playing the role of mother’ in the house showed she will still be fierce if she’s up against any negative, patronising behaviours or defending others, but her tongue-poke and her self-diminished body language when she arrived suggested genuine vulnerability and nervousness.”
Judi continued: “Her greeting behaviour involved tactile hand-holding and extended bonding rituals with already some intense-level chats. Her objectives are focused and unselfish, wanting to show other cancer patients that life is still for living, but she will also know Big Brother is a great leveller and an assault course in terms of emotions and behaviours, showing a high level of bravery.”
Trisha has recognised the need for strategic precautions during her CBB stint and has been given her own private room. Before her arrival, conversations were said to have taken place between her healthcare team and the production staff to ensure she receives all necessary support, with ITV arranging specialized care provisions tailored to her needs.
As she detailed the support system lined up for her stint on the show, Trisha shared with the Mirror: “So my oncologist is my biggest cheerleader and is working with the Big Brother team. I’ve got a special therapist who’s happy to work with the medic on the show. My palliative care team – and when I say that word everybody screams and runs away, but it’s symptom treatment – is working with the team here too. And then when it comes to my treatment, I had one infusion on Monday, so I’ve got to jump on a plane and go straight back to have the next one as soon as the show is over.”
She also made clear that her medical needs would be looked after during filming. “I’ve got a bag full of meds that I normally have which will be with me in the house. So my oncologist has planned my treatment around the production schedule.”
She added: “I’ve changed since going through all of this and I’ve gone through scary times and now I’m on this drug it’s a lot more optimistic. But what I’ve been through does strip away one’s filters rather on a lot! Have I changed? I don’t suffer fools lightly, but I don’t think I’m nasty. I’ve got one liners and looks and things like that. But I can’t stand bullies and people going for people. I never have been able to, but everything I’ve been through lately has just heightened everything, I think.”
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