ThisisBigBrother.com - UK TV Forums - Psychologist Gladeana McMahon : Why she think's Nadia should win

The house has already lost Kitten, Vanessa and Emma, so the odds are that a man will win Big Brother 5. But forget Dan or Stuart - according to psychologist Gladeana McMahon, Nadia is the girl who could beat the guys hands down.

Initially dismissed as merely 'the Portuguese transsexual', no-one gave Nadia a cat-in-hell's chance of winning. But we're now halfway through this year's Big Brother and she's in with a real chance of picking up the big prize. Here's why we think Nadia is the girl who should win.

Why Nadia should win: Her loyalty

The 'harem' has been talked about a lot during this year's Big Brother, and this is certainly the first time in the show's history that a clear and distinct 'group' of friends has emerged in the house right from the very first few days. And at the centre of the harem was the deadly duo of Marco and Nadia. Brought together by a common sense of humour, they became the best of friends very quickly and Nadia, especially, was extremely protective of her partner-in-crime.

During the infamous 'fight night', Nadia only got involved because Jason started to threaten Marco; and she was happy to let her camp friend cower behind her as she stood up to big Jay, something that undeniably surprised the Scot. 'Friends are friends, as far as Nadia is concerned,' says Gladeana McMahon, a psychologist and Fellow of The Association for Coaching. 'Nadia believes in standing by them at any cost and is extremely loyal.'

In fact, it was highly ironic that when Nadia was finally up for eviction for the first time last week, she was up against her two best friends in the house, Marco and Michelle. It upset her, but she did not let it affect her unduly and she helped the others through it, as only a true friend would.

Why Nadia should win: Her sense of humour

From the outset, Nadia has made it clear she's been up for a laugh. When the group split into 'the parents' and 'the kids' at the start of the time in the house, Nadia was firmly in the latter group. She was at the heart of the first food fight and stood her ground when Dan accused them of being kids. She was also at the centre of the naked mud-wrestling that saw her take on all-comers and, of course, the infamous indoor food fight that led to the 'fight night'.

And, in spite of her refusal to reveal her 'secret' to the remaining housemates, she has been herself at all other times. 'She is happy with how she is,' says Gladeana McMahon. 'She wants people to see her as someone who can have friends, a relationship and, most of all, fun.'

With the departure of Marco, it shouldn't be overestimated that Nadia is now the main source of 'fun' in the house - a vital quality for keeping morale high.

Why Nadia should win: Her openness

While Nadia may not have revealed the secret of her sexuality to her fellow housemates, she has been unbelieveably open in many other ways. 'After the big fight, she fronted up to Jason and apologised for her actions,' says Gladeana - an action that, coincidentally, was only mirrored by Jason after hearing Nadia's apology.

On top of that, she was not scared to be herself when consumed by nicotine withdrawal earlier in the show. She tried to avoid being irritated, but could not conceal her bad moods.

Nadia has also made an effort to bond with as many of the housemates as possible, in spite of being part of the 'harem'. 'Being accepted by everyone was always going to be more important to Nadia than anyone else,' says Gladeana. 'She reached that stage so quickly that she now has the impossible dilemma of whether or not to reveal her "secret". That she probably no longer can should not be seen as a fault.'

Why Nadia should win: Her vulnerability

When Nadia came up for eviction against Marco and Michelle, she got the lowest number of votes. In what might have been a surprise to many, Marco polled 52 per cent, while Nadia got less than 20 per cent of the total votes cast.

And in Gladeana's eyes, this is down to one overriding quality: her vulnerability. 'From the moment she walked into that house, Nadia has wanted to be seen for who she is, not who she was. She wasn't going to go in and announce, "Hi, I'm Nadia and I'm a transsexual," because then she would be judged for the wrong reasons.'

And as the contest has gone on, things have become ever more difficult. There have been numerous conversations going on around her that have referred to transsexuals, even though none of the original housemates has a clue that Nadia has had the operation. 'It's terribly difficult to hear yourself being talked about, even if it's just indirectly,' says Gladeana. 'Your heart just goes out to her, because you see her sitting there absorbing all of this and she's now got to a point of no return.'

Nadia wears her heart on her sleeve - one of the the most endearing qualities in anyone. She'll be straight-talking if she feels she needs to be, emotional in the case of her friends or a lack of cigarettes, and if anyone could read her face, they'd see the pain and torment she's going through.

So Stuart and Dan may be the bookies' favourites, but stranger things have happened in the Big Brother house, so don't be shocked to see Nadia spring the biggest of surprises yet.

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