Big Brother legend 'Nasty Nick' shares real reason for 'feud' with co-star

When it comes to the history of reality TV villains, Nick Bateman’s name pops up every time. Over 25 years ago, on the very first season of Big Brother UK, Nick found himself at the heart of TV’s most talked-about fallout. Now, he’s weighing in on his infamous dispute with Craig Phillips—and he’s even got a few sharp words for the new version of the show.

The infamous Big Brother showdown: secrets, clues, and fallout

Nick’s legacy was cemented way back when he was found trying to sway nominations by secretly passing notes, which was a major breach of the show’s golden rule. The house soon exploded when Craig Phillips led a dramatic confrontation—one that has stuck with fans for decades. According to Nick, that moment was no accident:

“made the confrontation extremely watchable.”

He claims that producers had warned the housemates beforehand, practically guaranteeing fireworks for viewers.

On the podcast Remember Me?, Nick recalled how the producers themselves handed out the crayons he used, while several contestants wrote names on the mirrors with lipstick. Despite this, all eyes turned to Nick, and the nickname “Nasty Nick” was born in the public. After leaving the house, Nick swapped late-night strategy for a quieter life in Australia, turning his attention to marketing and business promotion instead of TV drama.

From house drama to social snipes: why the feud with Craig never really vanished

Nick’s back-and-forth with Craig didn’t end once the Big Brother cameras stopped rolling. In 2020, an old wound reopened when Craig visited Nick in Australia, and afterwards, Craig reportedly told The Sun that Nick had “told ‘lie after lie’.” Nick’s reply? He fired back on Twitter:

“It's funny that the people you invite to your house to stay for free, and take time out to see when they visit you in another country, are the ones to throw you under the bus for a few £ #bbuk.”

Later, reflecting on it with Heart Bingo, Nick seemed to have moved on:

“There are people who give in life, and there are people who take. I was more of a giver than he was... what goes around, comes around... I'm not going to really react anymore to it... But for me, it's water under a bridge.”

Despite all the noise, Nick’s not looking to stoke old arguments. Still, his words carry the sharp edge fans remember so well.

“It has lost its identity”: Nick’s verdict on today’s Big Brother

What about the show that made him a household name? Nick isn’t shy with his opinions. With ITV2 relaunching Big Brother on 13 September at 9pm and streaming on ITVX, he feels the magic has faded.

“Maybe they need to cast the show without telling the applicants what it is. People are using the show as a vehicle for their social media careers. It has lost its innocence and its fun. It has lost its identity. They need to go back to basics with normal people, a stripped-back house, and the original tasks.”

Nick believes this influencer focus has changed the show’s spirit completely.

For Nick, it’s simple:

“It’s nearing the point where either the channel has to accept something isn’t working or they have to go back to the original producers.”

He clearly wants the real Big Brother spirit back—through ordinary people, real-life tension, and none of the TikTok gloss.

Will nostalgia or change win on Big Brother’s return?

Nick Bateman’s candid takes fuel a fierce nostalgia for Big Brother’s unpredictable early days—the moments when even pencils could spark a scandal. But as the show prepares to return to screens, you have to wonder: will producers take Nick’s advice to heart, or will today’s influencer-heavy housemates write a brand-new story?

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Big Brother legend 'Nasty Nick' shares real reason for 'feud' with co-star