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Big Brother's Mel opens up about the infamous 'pillow flip': 'Dramatic'
Big Brother housemate Mel Todd came into the house wanting to spread kindness and joy, but this may have been what got her sent home so quickly.
Mel spoke to Yahoo Lifestyle about her strategy, the infamous ‘pillow flip’ and why she feels ‘robbed’ after being evicted on Thursday.
The pillow flip was 'really dramatic'
Big Brother viewers were on the edge of their seats on Wednesday when Lara Kamper made a choice to nominate Mel instead of Joel, by flipping a pillow. Fans were quick to point out that she didn’t make a call before she flipped it, something that also upset Mel.
“I do believe that she was really torn… It broke my heart that she was so upset. But I would have rather not have the coin flip. That just made it really dramatic,” she said.
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“If that was a football game and someone had flipped the coin and didn’t call heads or tails, there wouldn’t be a game!” she added. “That, to me is confusing in itself, and I think that’s why I was so upset.”
Mel was in tears after she was nominated and her fellow housemates surrounded her with support. Fans flooded social media with how ridiculous the ‘pillow flip’ was, with one saying: “Come on, she never called it. She knew full well she was going to vote for Mel.”
Big Brother’s original format suited her strategy
The housemate confessed that her strategy in the house was to be well-liked, entertain others and avoid any talk of a social game or strategy with the others.
She admits that she was “naive” and that this definitely led to her downfall, saying: “I thought I could distract people and make them be like, 'When Mel’s around time flies'.
“Being me was just a no brainer. So that was my strategy, just to be me.”
The 40-year-old receptionist believes her style of play would have been perfect for the old format where Australia gets to vote each week.
“Everyone’s bombarded me with messages. They were like, ‘You would have suited the old format’, and I was like, that’s great. But I can’t go back in time.”
She was completely blindsided
Mel had no idea that her housemates were busy strategising, saying she was “shocked” that those conversations even happened.
“I had no idea those conversations were taking place," she remarked.
“I was teaching this person to handshake, or dancing, or scratching someone’s back or consoling someone. I didn’t know there was all this ‘let’s get rid of Mel’, or ‘Mel’s dangerous’.
“I’ve never been called dangerous in my life!” she laughs.
If she could do one thing differently, she says she would be more aware of strategy and alliances, admitting it was definitely a “rookie error”. However, she doesn’t want to dwell on the past and is quick to highlight that she has no regrets.
Part of her feels ‘robbed’
With the introduction of ‘royalty’ - popular returning characters including season three winner Reggie Bird - Mel acknowledges that it completely changed everything for her.
“When I look back at everything I’m thinking, I just can’t believe that they’ve done it before, and you know, my experience was kind of robbed,” she said.
She shared that while it was such a privilege to be part of Big Brother’s 21st birthday celebrations, a scenario where there were no returning players may have worked in her favour.
“If I had been with [just] the newbies and not against the royalty, maybe I might have stayed longer.”
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