Nikki Grahame has died aged 38.

The Big Brother star passed away on Friday and her sad death was confirmed online by her close pal Leon Dee.

The mourning friend of the TV personality told: "It is with great sadness, we have to let you know that our dear friend Nikki passed away in the early hours of Friday 9th April.

"It breaks our hearts to know that someone who is so precious was taken from us at such a young age. Nikki not only touched the lives of millions of people, but also her friends and family who will miss her immensely.

"We would like to request privacy at this difficult time, while Nikki's friends and family process the sad news.

Nikki Grahame has died (
Image:
PA)

"Full details will be released as and when we know them.

"All donations have been greatly appreciated and it was heartwarming for everyone including Nikki to see how much she was loved.

"Funds will be held safely in this GoFundMe until we have established an organisation supporting those suffering from anorexia to which we will make a donation in Nikki's memory. We will post updates for you with more details as soon as we have them.

"We are working with GoFundMe at this time. If you want to request a refund, you can write into GoFundMe's team here: https://support.gofundme.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=360000288632

"Rest In Peace, Nikki. We love you & not a day will go by without missing your smile. X X X."

The Big Brother star was only 38 (
Image:
Channel 5)

A rep for Nikki told the Mirror: "It is with immeasurable sadness that Nikki Grahame passed away in the early hours of Friday 9th April 2021. Please respect the privacy of Nikki’s friends and family at this tragic and difficult time."

The Big Brother star recently checked into a private hospital to treat her eating disorder after her friends managed to raise thousands of pounds for her treatment for her anorexia.

Fans of the iconic reality star donated over £69,000 via a GoFund Me page.

The website explained that Nikki needed urgent treatment with a message that read: "We have set up this page for our very close and dear friend Nikki. As some of you may know, Nikki is battling Anorexia. She has been battling for most of her life and as you can see, Nikki is now in a very bad way so we need to do something quickly.

"Over the past years Nikkis family and friends have tried so desperately to get Nikki all the help possible through the NHS but unfortunately the treatments have failed and we have exhausted every avenue possible, and now Nik is unfortunately in a very bad way, this is now our last hope.

"This is why we feel that getting her treatment in a specialist clinic is the only option left for her. We are praying this gives her the chance of kicking this illness to the curb once and for all.

"At the moment, Nikki constantly feels weak and is struggling on a day to day basis. She feels trapped and really wants to get better but feels like it’s impossible. It’s heart-breaking and we desperately just want a healthy and well Nikki back with us. She has no energy and is taking each day as it comes.

Nikki was seeking treatment for anorexia (
Image:
PA)

"Mental health, as so many of you know, is debilitating in many ways. We want to help save our friend from letting this Illness beat her. If you are able to donate anything then we would be extremely grateful.

"Nikki has given permission for the creation of this page and is supporting it in the hope it enables her to access the special care and treatment she desperately needs. We know the photos may be distressing but we felt it was important to show the severity of where Nikki is currently at. T

"The basic treatment Nikki has been receiving from the NHS is simply just not working for her so her only option now is to seek expensive intensive treatment at The Prioriy or a similar alternative facility alongside meticulous private therapy. The above treatment and facility costs 25 thousand pounds per month and we believe this is her only option to provide the care and life saving treatment she needs.

"We are going to walk the bridges of London to help raise the money, and for anyone that would like to join us we are looking to do the walk in May as soon as lockdown allows us.

"Nikki made millions of us laugh during her happier days, now all we want is to see our Nik’s smile again. Thank you for taking the time to read this. We will keep you updated of Nikki's progress on here. Carly and Leon x."

Last month, Nikki's mum Sue made a heartbreaking appearance on This Morning where she to discussed her daughter's battle with anorexia.

In recent weeks fans donated over £60,000 for the star to get treatment (
Image:
Getty Images)

Speaking to hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, Sue said that her daughter is trying her "level best" to beat the eating disorder this time.

Her friends managed to raise £65,000 with the help of fans so ensure that she can check into a facility and get the help that she needs.

Speaking about the events that led up to Nikki needing serious help, Sue said that being in lockdown really took a toll on the star.

“Last year really put the cap on it, when the gyms closed it was quite a worry," Sue explained.

"The isolation, it’s been really hard for her, really hard. She felt very cut off and spending too much time on her own with not enough to think about other than food and that took a grip as well."

Nikki first found fame on Big Brother in 2006 (
Image:
Channel 4)

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Nikki began her battle with the eating disorder when she was just six-years-old.

"I was doing gymnastics from the age of six and by the time I was seven, I started to feel self-conscious in my leotard," she told New! magazine in May 2009.

"One day one of the girls told me my bum looked fat and the instructor said I was useless. I thought that if I stopped eating I would become a better gymnast."

Fearing for their daughter, Nikki's parents admitted her to the children’s eating disorders unit at the Maudsley psychiatric hospital in London.

Nikki was released after six weeks, but things got worse and she was rushed to a hospital emergency unit and force-fed through a nasal tube.

After eight months at Collingham Gardens child and family psychiatric unit in west London, Nikki put on weight and returned home to Northwood.

When her weight dropped again, Nikki returned to Collingham Gardens before being transferred to a psychiatric and eating disorders ward in Great Ormond Street Hospital.

During one of her lowest points at the age of just 12, Nikki tried to take her own life.

Her weight dropped so low that she fell into a coma and doctors feared she was just minutes from death at one stage.

Nikki was force-fed from a tube stitched inside her stomach, but when conscious she continuously tried to remove the feeding apparatus.

She admitted to eating disorders clinic Rhodes Farm in Mill Hill, North London - and had a massive wake up call.

At the age of 16, she woke up one morning and bravely decided to fight back and began showing signs of improvement.

Nikki battled anorexia since she was a young child (
Image:
Ken McKay/ITV/REX)

She relapsed again at the age of 18 and was taken to an adult eating disorder ward, while also developing OCD with a fear of germs.

Nikki was a contestant on Big Brother 7 in 2006 and came in fifth place. She became well known for her hilarious segments in the DIary Room.

She then had her own reality show named Princess Nikki.

In 2010 she appeared in Ultimate Big Brother and in 2015 she was on the 16th series of the show as a guest housemate.

Nikki also starred in the Canadian version of the popular show.

For help and support on eating disorders contact Beat Eating Disorders on 0808 801 0677.