Who is Zelah Glasson, the personal trainer bringing transgender representation to Big Brother 2025?
Zelah's participation makes history as the first trans man since the reality show's 2023 ITV reboot
By Aaron Sugg
Zelah Glasson is one of the newest faces to grace our Big Brother screens, making his debut on Sunday’s premiere episode on ITV2.
Off-screen, the 25-year-old transgender personal trainer is a social media content creator from South London and is currently launching his own LGBTQ+ business.
Specialising in supporting transgender individuals and women through fitness, he draws on his own experiences, living as a woman for 23 years, to create inclusive fitness content.
How many followers does Zelah Glasson have on social media?
On social media, he has nearly 90,000 followers on TikTok and over 40,000 on Instagram, where he shares workout routines and insights into his journey as a transgender man.
Zelah entered the Big Brother house on 28 September 2025, as part of the show’s return to ITV2. His appearance makes history as the first trans man since the reality TV show’s 2023 ITV reboot.
Previously, on earlier broadcast channels, Nadia Almada became the first openly trans housemate and winner in 2004, Luke Anderson won in 2012, and Hallie Clarke was the first trans woman in the 2023 reboot.
What is Zelah bringing to the Big Brother house?
He described himself as a “spaniel dog” in his VT, promising he will bring energy to this year’s house, especially if he can’t release it in the gym.
“I might get a little bit unbearable without the gym – that’s definitely my main coping mechanism,” he admitted in a news release.
“I’m very social – someone who takes on the role of the rounder-upper. I like to organise things, I like to do things in a group. I’d like to think that I’d contribute to group work in the house. And I’m really looking forward to the tasks, so I think I’d be someone who can throw themselves into that.”
Zelah on trans representation in the Big Brother house
Zelah expressed his desire to use the platform to “re-centre” the narrative around transgender individuals. He said he is “living proof that being transgender is not a choice.”
Two years into his transition, he joked in his introduction to the Big Brother house: “Why would I choose to go from the luxury, the sanctuary of the women’s toilets to the men’s?”
Since his debut, Zelah has quickly become a fan favourite, garnering a wave of support from viewers.
Viewers’ reactions to Zelah appearing on Big Brother
Trans+ charity Not A Phase praised Zelah’s involvement, writing on their Instagram page: “You’re already our winner.”
Can we appreciate that THE hottest guy this season is trans? what awesome representation. King Zelah did THAT! #BBUK pic.twitter.com/gn2K3BT0p7
— Raph Korine (@Raph176) September 28, 2025
As well as a flood of fans complimenting his looks, one user posted on X: “Can we appreciate that the hottest guy this season is trans? What awesome representation. King Zelah did that!”
Another wrote under Big Brother‘s Instagram announcement, captioned “Big Brother’s first-ever spaniel comes with a mullet and biceps… Meet Zelah”: “So I’ve found my obsession this series.”
In the latest episode (29 September), speaking in the diary room, he highlighted that this was the first time he had ever felt insecure about his surgery scars.
“Now, I don’t really want to mention my transition,” he told Big Brother. “Naturally, that conversation will come up because you ask me about my school experience, I went to an all-girls school.”
He explained he wants people to judge him on first impressions rather than gender identity. “Though I am quite aware that I have fairly big scars on my chest, and there’s a hot tub,” he said.
“I did find myself, probably for the first time ever, feeling a bit self-conscious about my scars because I know I haven’t told anyone… I am usually pretty proud of my scars.”
@notaphaseorg Are you considering top surgery? 🏳️⚧️ @Zelah Glasson ♬ original sound – Not A Phase
Is Zelah from Big Brother in a relationship?
We also know that Zelah has a girlfriend, Francesca Ridella. He said that if he won the series, he would take her on holiday “to say sorry for leaving her while I’m in the Big Brother house”.
On last night’s episode, it was also revealed that four new housemates will be joining this year’s cast: Feyisola, 33; Cameron B, 25; George, 23; and Richard, 60.
Tune in to Big Brother tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX to see the new housemates join the competition.