Farmer Dave Is Back to Win Big Brother Royalty vs New Contenders

Big Brother Royalty vs New Contenders has kicked off and it’s time to get to know the housemates. This person needs no introduction, and if you’ve been watching Big Brother since the beginning of time, you would be all too familiar with him.

Farmer Dave Graham is one of the franchise’s most well-known contestants, first appearing on our screens back in 2006. While he didn’t take home the prize, he did win the hearts of all those watching after he came out as gay to his housemates.

After a week of challenges in which Big Brother wanted the participants to get to know one another better, Graham sat everyone down and opened up about his sexuality.

“Obviously a lot of us got to know each other fairly well, and I think that everyone’s realised when they’re getting to know me that there are things that they don’t know about me, and that’s true — there are things about me that you don’t know.”

He continued: “I kind of came into the house thinking that this bit you don’t know about me is quite small, but being in here has made me realise that it permeates every part of myself.”

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Graham went on to admit that it was “really, really hard” and that he had “really held back” when speaking to the housemates because he hadn’t “been able to be honest”.

“I’ve skipped questions, I’ve dodged questions, I’ve moved around questions,” he said, explaining that he wanted them to get to know him “at face value” as “just a normal guy”, before saying: “I’m the token farmer, and the token gay guy”.

His admission was met with hugs and acceptance from his housemates, and he went on to place third in the 2006 season. Now, years later, Graham fondly looks back at the moment, saying it was “incredible”.

“I went on to create conversations and change in Australia about gay people being treated equally and without judgment,” he says. “Back then, we were heavily discriminated against. It was normal to be in the closet for fear of violence and exclusion.”

Now, at the age of 42, Graham is making his way back into the Big Brother house, and this time, he wants to win. “I reckon new housemates will be nervous and excited, whereas I feel like I’m back in an old familiar place,” he said. He’s been given a second chance, and he hopes to “play the game, get really involved in everything without the weight of a political agenda.”