Big Brother Australia: Where Are They Now? From Circus Performer to Millionaire

It was the reality show that captivated Australia after premiering on Channel 10 back in 2001.

And many of the stars from Big Brother have gone on to live very different lives since finding fame on the show.

While some have chosen the quiet life, others have continued to enjoy the spotlight.

From circus performers to actors and influencers, the former contestants have gone on to pursue a range of careers.

And as the new reboot launches on Channel 10, Daily Mail Australia takes a look back at some of the most memorable stars from the iconic series.

Ten revived the show at the original Dreamworld location this month after Channel Seven axed its reboot last year.

Rima Hadchiti: Season Eight (2008)

More than a decade on from her early exit from the reality TV show due to breaking her leg in a Friday Night Games challenge, Rima Hadchiti is living a very different life.

The pint-sized star, who used to be a professional belly dancer, is a circus performer with the prestigious Cirque du Soleil troupe.

She joined the company in 2016.

She appeared as a contestant on Big Brother in 2008 but left the house when she broke her leg on day six.

Sara Marie Fedele: Season One (2001)

A 22-year-old Sara Marie Fedele once wowed Australia with her infamous ‘bum dance’, bunny ears and loveable personality, but she leads a much simpler existence these days.

Sara-Marie, 47, is now a mum to a 10-year-old daughter and has had success starting her own sleepwear line, writing a book and even releasing a pop single called I’m So Excited (The Bum Dance).

Sara-Marie is currently with the Sydney-based Harry M Miller talent agency, in which she can be booked as a host or special guest for local events.

Her profile picture on the site shows her looking radiant and slimmer than ever, with sleek long black hair replacing her trademark locks.

Before her stint on Big Brother, she worked at a strip club in management.

Blair McDonough: Season One (2001)

Coming second on Big Brother’s first season, Blair McDonough scored a lucrative acting gig on Neighbours shortly after the show.

While on the show the 44-year-old dated co-star Delta Goodrem.

He was on the soap until 2006 and the following year, he moved to the UK to join period drama Heartbeat in a recurring role from 2008 to 2009.

Blair returned to Australia in 2010 for a role on Sea Patrol, but in 2011 started his new role as Matt O’Connor on Winners and Losers.

His character was written off in the second season of the show.

On the flip side, Blair’s personal life has been far more successful after marrying Kristi Townley in 2013.

The couple welcomed their first daughter Leni in 2015. They also share a son, Van James, who was born in 2017.

Reggie Sorensen: Season Three (2003)

She was known back then as Reggie Bird when she became the first ever female contestant to win Big Brother in 2003, but her life since then has been plagued with challenges.

Reggie, who is now a single mum, recently revealed she struggles to support her two children after she was declared legally blind in 2012.

She suffers from both retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease that causes severe vision impairment, and stage two Usher Syndrome, which causes deafness and hearing loss. 

Reggie returned to Big Brother in 2022 after first winning the series. 

She’s still recognised on the streets occasionally and most recently starred on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Australia.

The Logan Twins: Season Five (2005)

In 2005, twin brothers Greg and David Mathew made headlines after entering the Big Brother house with the task of acting as one person. 

Winning $836,000 when he came first place, Greg Mathew, 44, is now a multi-millionaire.

The former reality TV star is worth a staggering $10 million, after investing in a series of hotels, nightclubs and properties in Newcastle, located north of Sydney. 

Greg also has three children with his ex-wife, former magazine editor Justine Cullen.

Merlin Luck: Season Four (2004)

After he was evicted in the 2004 season, Merlin went on stage with host Gretel Killeen and protested for the rights of refugees in a move that shocked Australia.

He sat with tape across his mouth and a sign he smuggled in that read: ‘Free The Refugees’. He chose to remain silent as he believed it would make the message more powerful.

The activist is now a ‘middle-aged corporate dad’ working for a cloud technology company and has two children.

Trevor Butler: Season four (2004)

In yet another unbelievable moment in the 2004 season Trevor Butler won the show, along with $1million and proposed to his then girlfriend Breea.

Trevor said he took the incredible opportunity and prize money to settle down and has two children in their home in Queensland.

Woman’s Day reported Trevor and Breea lived off the interest from the prize money for 12 months, before using it to buy a house on the Gold Coast and multiple cars.

Trevor invested the rest of the money after winning a battle not to pay half the winnings to the Australian Tax Office.

He also returned to Big Brother in 2022 and currently hosts the 1029 Hot Tomato radio show alongside Moyra Major.

Skye Wheatley: Season 11 (2013)

She rose to fame as Big Brother’s ‘high-maintenance diva’.

And since appearing on the show, Skye Wheatley has kept dominating headlines for her dedication to cosmetic surgery and social media fame.

Skye, now 31, has since collected 640,000 followers on Instagram.

In 2017, she began dating Lachlan Waugh, who she met on Tinder, and fell pregnant with their son Forest just eight months later.

The also share four-year-old son, Bear.

In October, Skye confirmed she has officially split with her partner Lachlan after seven years together.

Tully Smyth: Season Ten (2010)

She was controversially one of the most talked about contestants on the series.

Since appearing on the Channel 10 reality show, Tully Smyth, now 38, has made a name for herself as a social media influencer, clocking up 209,000 followers.

She actively appears on podcasts and is a regular on the social scene.

Tully recently split with her boyfriend of two years, Daniel Parisi.

The Instagram couple called it quits as they struggled to make their relationship work after Daniel moved to the US for his dream job.

Jemma Gawned: Season One (2001)

When she appeared on the first Australian series of Big Brother in 2001, Jemma was known as the ‘lipgloss queen’.

But now, the 50-year-old is the ‘polar opposite’ of the person she was in her early twenties.

The Byron Bay-based woman had a raw food empire called Naked Treaties, but has since sold the business.

Jemma now runs the Instagram account Anchoring the Light and creates YouTube videos.

Chrissie Swan: Season Three (2003) 

Chrissie Swan was the runner-up on the third season of Big Brother Australia, which was won by Regina Bird.

After her TV debut, she went on to launch a successful career in radio and television.  

In 2010, Chrissie was announced as host of the morning show The Circle alongside Denise Drysdale, Yumi Stynes and Gorgi Coghlan.

She most recently joined the panel of The Masked Singer Australia.

Chrissie also hosts her own radio show, The Chrissie Swan Show, on Nova FM.