[James]

My Nush's strange, weird, surreal year

IT'S been a long, tough year for Big Brother contestant Nush Nowak, according to concerned mum Elzbieta Shields, who spent Christmas at home with her daughter in Malvern.

Despite experiencing overnight fame on Channel Four's reality show last summer, the 24-year-old's dreams were shattered when she was mugged in London in August, suffering a broken thigh and smashed kneecap.

Two weeks ago, a 12-inch metal rod which was holding her thigh bone together was finally removed and on Friday, January 9, she goes into Worcestershire Royal Hospital to have the wire taken out of her kneecap.

But Mrs Shields said the most crushing blow was it was unlikely that yoga-loving Nush would be able to walk properly again for up to a year.

"She had a setback four weeks ago when she dislocated her knee and had to go back into hospital," she said.

"On top of that, she had bronchitis over Christmas and I think she's sick of feeling awful."

She said the excitement of Big Brother and what was potentially a fantastic year for Nush had been spoilt by the attack, which took place as she returned home after a night out with fellow BB housemate and rumoured love-match Scott Turner. She still has to use a crutch.

"I looked at her awful scars on Christmas day and wanted to kill the person who did it," said Mrs Shields.

"She cannot do her yoga. They have spoilt something really beautiful."

"She is also frightened of going out alone in the dark now and is thinking of learning self-defence."

Although her plans to produce a yoga video have had to be put on hold indefinitely, the blonde bombshell has just completed a TV presenting course and remains optimistic of landing a job on the small screen.

"It's been a strange, weird and surreal year for her and in all honesty, I think she'll be glad when it's over," said her mum, who lives in Malvern with her husband, David Shields.

"But, aside from her injuries, she is having a ball in London, where she now lives, and hopefully will realise her dreams next year."

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