Sunday, August 16, 2026 - Ex- Big Brother Naija housemate and Reality TV star and actress Erica Nlewedim has revealed that she endured three years of persistent insults and online criticism after participating in the Big Brother Naija reality show.
According to a post shared on Cablelifestyle on Sunday,
Erica made the disclosure during an interview on Toke Moment, where she opened
up about the emotional impact of her experience on the show and the challenges
she faced after leaving the BBNaija house.
According to the actress, she initially did not realise how
much the constant criticism was affecting her until she began experiencing
anxiety.
“I was getting like three years of back-to-back insults. I
had to see a therapist because of that show,” Erica said.
She explained that social media became particularly
difficult for her because of the constant stream of notifications and comments.
“At first, I didn’t know that it was getting to me. It was
like after three years of back-to-back insults.
“When I open Instagram, I just see notifications. I was
always anxious, and I don’t like that,” she said.
Erica, who competed in the 2020 edition of BBNaija, said the
experience eventually prompted her to seek professional help.
“I went to therapy in 2024. 2024 was my quiet time. I didn’t
act in any movie,” she said.
The actress explained that she deliberately took a break
from acting to focus on herself and address issues she had not previously
recognised.
“I just decided to take a break in 2024. It was just last
year I decided to start coming back. I’m happy I did that because there were a
lot of things that I didn’t even realise were affecting me.”
Erica also made it clear that, despite the emotional
difficulties, she appreciated the financial opportunities the reality show
provided.
“I’ll never go to a show like Big Brother Naija again in my
life. I’m happy I did it because, of course, it changed my life money-wise, but
I’m never doing it again if I’m given the opportunity,” she said.
The actress was disqualified from the 2020 BBNaija edition
after breaching the show’s house rules. In 2021, she had previously disclosed
that she experienced what she described as “full-blown anxiety” after her time
on the reality show.
Her latest revelation highlights the challenges former
reality TV contestants can face long after leaving the spotlight, particularly
the pressure of sustained public scrutiny and social media criticism.
Erica’s comments also come amid similar reflections from
fellow former BBNaija housemate Mercy Eke, who has recently spoken about
regretting aspects of her participation while acknowledging the benefits the
show brought her.
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