[Amy]

SEX-SWAP Nadia's mum has become her daughter's biggest fan.

Chef Conceicao Almada admits she feared for her oldest son Jorge when he left for Britain to have a sex-change operation and become Nadia.

But now Nadia is starring in Big Brother, her mum is watching her progress daily on the internet and has been impressed with her courage.

Nadia, the eldest of 49-year-old Conceicao's six kids, left the Portuguese-owned Atlantic Ocean island of Madeira at the age of 19.

Conceicao, who works at a hotel in Madeira, says she was worried sick about him.

She is a protective single parent and all her other five kids still live at home including brothers who work as builders and painters and decorators.

Nadia, now 27, has visited her mum twice in Madeira since she left and Conceicao has visited her in London once.

But the glamorous brunette did not feel completely welcome in her old neighbourhood.

She chose to stay with friends on Madeira when she returned for her visits.

Conceicao had been unaware of Nadia's plans to enter Big Brother, but is now hooked on the show.

Shortly before the latest series of Big Brother began, Nadia calledreporters @dailyrecord.co.uk her mum and said: 'I'm off on a journey.' Her mother now realises that she meant she was going on Big Brother and had agreed to be televised for 24 hours a day.

Conceicao said: 'When he wanted to change sex I felt a big disappointment. You would, wouldn't you?

'It's difficult for a parent. But I would never condemn one of my own children. I think Nadia was really strong in everything she did.

'I think she has shown such courage in her life.

'She has been really strong creating a life for herself away from her family.'

Nadia was up for eviction last night against her close friend Marco and Michelle.

But even if her reality TV adventure is at an end, she has impressed her mum.

Conceicao said: 'I am really proud of her going on the show. I really hope she wins but who knows what will happen.

'I'm not a fortune teller. And it's not up to me. It's up to the British people to decide what happens.' Nadia's mum can only follow her progress on the internet because she cannot see the programme on television.

She follows Nadia's progress daily on the official BB website.

But she first found out Nadia was a television star through a Spanish acquaintance.

Conceicao added: 'I never believed she would do something like this, you can't predict the future.'


Daily Record