'Big Brother' reality TV star Chanelle Hayes bursts into tears on Instagram video as she talks 'loneliness'

‘Big Brother’ star Chanelle Hayes burst into tears during an emotional Instagram video she uploaded after a month-long break from the platform, telling her fans that she does sometimes feel lonely.

The reality TV star, aged 36, last posted on her Instagram account at the beginning of March, when she encouraged women to show each other “respect, admiration and love” to mark International Women’s Day. She made her return to the site yesterday (Wednesday April 10), to tell her 127,000 followers she had been struggling with her mental health, including feelings of loneliness and stress.

She posted a montage of clips, including one of her crying into the camera and one of her smiling in bed alongside her fiancé Dan Bingham. Alongside the post, she apologised to her fans for her absence and said: "April is Stress Awareness Month. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much love you’re surrounded with, stress, burnout and loneliness can find you." She added the following hashtags: #stress #depression #anxiety #mentalhealth #stressawarenessmonth #burnout #selfcare, and posed the question: “Do you feel safe to talk about mental health struggles?” She also included a thoughtful quote: “When you’re happy, you enjoy the music but when you’re sad, you understand the lyrics” - Frank Ocean.” The montage was set to ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles. Hayes, who is a mum-of-two, received many kind and supportive comments from fans, many who commended her for her honesty. One said: "Sending love to you Chanelle - really brave of you to post and highlight what many of us are also going through." Another added: "Thank you for being so honest and I hope you take each and every day as it comes being kinder to yourself xxxx." Someone else commented: "Love how real you are! your using your platform brilliantly."

Another fan, who is a nurse, said: “Sending you strength… respect .. I hope things feel lighter soon xx”. Another told her she is “inspiring”. One more said: “Sending love to you Chanelle - really brave of you to post and highlight what many of us are also going through.”

Hayes first came to public attention at the age of 19 back in 2007, when she was a contestant season eight of the iconic reality series ‘Big Brother’. She became one of the most talked-about reality stars on television at the time, as viewers became invested with her whirlwind romance with fellow housemate Zac Lichman "Ziggy".

Since leaving the house, however, Hayes has kept a low profile. She split from Lichman just six months after their stint on the show but the two have remained close friends. She told panellists on ITV talk show ‘Loose Women’ in 2018 that he was the only housemate she still spoke to at the time. Hayes has two sons; nine-year-old Blakely whom she shares with Middlesbrough footballer Matthew Bates, and two-year-old son Frankie who she shares Ryan Oates.

She became engaged to accountant Bingham in 2022, but does not speak about their romance much publicly. Writing about him previously on her Instagram, she said: “Didn’t think I would meet someone like you, but somehow I did. I love you @danbing93 …. You are the best person in the entire world.”

In the years since her brush with fame, Hayes has chosen to focus on a career in the healthcare industry and has been training to become a fully qualified medic. She has previously opened up about the struggles she faced with binge eating during the first lockdown in 2020, and admitted that her weight had spiralled out of control. Since then, however, lost nine stone after undergoing a gastric sleeve operation in the summer of 2020. Speaking about her weight gain, she said: "It was horrendous. I didn't want to see or speak to anyone. I didn't even want to leave the house or go anywhere - I was like a hermit in my home."

She added: "I didn't speak to anyone for a year. I literally saw nobody, so I definitely didn't have a love life. I didn't even have a life. I just couldn't bear to do anything." Fans have been quick to praise the reality star for her bravery and honesty, with many taking to social media to share their support and admiration.”

Hayes has been known to post frequently on her Instagram page, @chanellejhayes, about her health struggles, including physical and mental health issues, and has won lots of praise from her fans for doing so.