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Trisha Goddard’s daughter has criticised the “hateful” reception her mother received following her eviction from Celebrity Big Brother.
Goddard, 66, was the second contestant to be eliminated from the reality series after losing the public vote to housemates Jack P Shepherd and Patsy Palmer.
The eviction came shortly after her emotional reflection on her stage four cancer diagnosis. She said being on the show had offered her a brief escape: “I was able to be playful, to act like a child again,” she said.
However, Goddard was met with boos from some as she exited the house – prompting backlash online and dismay from her daughter, Billie.
“I had seen some hateful accounts on X encouraging people in the crowd to boo mum, so I was personally prepared for that,” Billie told The Mirror. “But it’s still such a poor reflection of certain parts of our society.”
“To boo at a woman living with incurable cancer because you didn’t like how she appeared on a heavily edited reality TV show – whilst she is undergoing treatment – is pretty sad,” she added. “You can dislike someone without being cruel.”
Billie also acknowledged the support her mother had received, saying, “There was a lot of love and a lot of cheering too, which was so amazing to hear. I’m immensely proud of her – she did incredibly well under challenging circumstances.”
Ahead of her time on the show, Goddard revealed she was receiving treatment while taking part in the series, with the full backing of her oncologist, palliative care team, and on-set medics. “I had one infusion on Monday,” she said, “and I’ll be jumping on a plane to have the next one as soon as I leave.”
Viewers were quick to condemn the crowd’s reaction on social media. “Regardless of whether or not you find Trisha likeable, booing a woman with stage 4 cancer is a genuinely terrible thing to do,” one user wrote. Another added: “She likes the distractions in the house and there are people booing her? Don’t be heartless.”
Goddard has spoken openly about her diagnosis in the past, using her platform to raise awareness and challenge public perceptions of living with cancer. “You can live successfully with cancer and not be so scared of dying that you become scared of living,” she has said.
Rejecting the label of “victim,” she added: “People hear ‘stage four’ and think it’s the end – but that’s not always the case. There are people living with metastatic breast cancer for decades. The language we use matters.”
Reflecting on the public’s reaction, Goddard said she hoped her time on the show might help shift the conversation around cancer.
“There are so many people quietly living with cancer in all industries. They just don’t say anything, because all they get is pity.”
English (US) ·