MAFS’s Ella says Hallie ‘did a better job’ coming out as trans on Big Brother

Married At First Sight UK‘s first trans cast member Ella Morgan has praised how Big Brother contestant Hallie, who is also trans, came out to her housemates.

MAFS UK star Ella Morgan, 27, has said that fellow reality TV star, new Big Brother contestant Hallie, 18, has handled being trans on TV “better” than she did. 

The highly-anticipated ITV2 reboot graced our screens on 8 October, as 16 housemates entered the iconic Big Brother house. Hallie is the youngest housemate and has already become an early fan favourite, praised for her bravery and authenticity.

Hallie came out to her housemates when they were gathered around the kitchen table on Monday’s (9 October) episode, and viewers saw them welcome her news with open arms and compliment her on her courage.

Having since watched clips of the moment, Ella compared her own coming out on Married At First Sight UK, telling Metro: “I just think she’s incredible, she did a better job than I did.”

Hallie came out as trans to her housemates with a powerful statement, saying: “I thought I’d let everyone know I’m trans, if you didn’t know already. I just thought I’d make that loud and clear.

“I’m a trans woman if you didn’t know.”

Since coming out, she’s also shared her experiences of transphobia with her flatmates, including her painful story of friends at home misgendering her on purpose.

Hallie also earned praise from Big Brother fans for her handling of an awkward conversation with fellow Big Brother housemate Farida, who was the first contestant to be evicted on Friday (13 October). Makeup artist Farida, 50, asked Hallie if men who wanted to be with her would be considered gay.

Hallie answered Farida openly, but Big Brother fans were divided into two camps – one praising Farida for being willing to ask questions and admit gaps in her knowledge, and others criticising her for “intrusive” questions.

Hallie replied: “I won’t have sex until I have my full transition. There’s men out there who specifically like trans women, and there’s men out there that will just see me as a woman, and just be with me as a woman.”

Hallie has received a lot of praise for her handling of the discussion.

When asked if there was any advice Ella would give Hallie, the Married At First Sight star said: “I don’t think she needs any advice, I think she’s bossing it, she’s absolutely incredible.”

She continued: “To be 18 years old and do what she’s doing takes so much courage.

“I’m 29 and I’m s***ting myself doing this so she doesn’t need my advice – she’s killing it.”

Ella participated in the most recent season of Channel 4’s Married At First Sight, a social experiment that sees contestants marry total strangers, which resulted in her getting hitched to her match Nathanial Valentino.

Ella made history when she joined the cast as the first trans person to ever appear on the show. 

Shortly after Ella and Nathaniel’s wedding, Ella told her new husband that she was transgender. At first, this seemed to have been received well with them sharing a touching moment of acceptance on camera, but the couple soon started butting heads, and Valentino later claimed he had been manipulated into marrying Morgan – claims Channel 4 has refuted. 

Big Brother continues on ITV 2 at 9pm, Monday through to Friday.