H
Hikumi
Guest
NEWCASTLE Big Brother contestants Mikkayla Mossop and Heidi Anderson knew each other before being thrown into the national spotlight on the reality show.
Mossop, 23, is a casual English teacher at Cessnock High School while Anderson, 29, co-hosts the brekkie show for Charlestown-based radio station NX-FM.
However, their paths had crossed because Mossop was a hugh fan of the radio show and had attended several outside broadcasts and events this year.
"Mikkayla would always say hello to us at outside broadcasts and message us on Facebook," NX-FM brekkie co-host Heath Piper said.
Anderson joined the Heath and Normy in Breakfast show at NX-FM in February and has been a hit with listeners.
"She's very confident, personable and open with her emotions," Piper said.
"She's made for that show. My pick is she will make it to the top two."
Piper said his only advice for his female co-host was to try not to swear too much during the first week.
"She can be a bit of a swear mouth," he joked. "I also helped her choose two nice outfits for her to take on the show."
The Newcastle radio breakfast team could be without their female colleague for as long as three months if she is successful on the reality show.
School teacher Mossop has also taken time away from her work.
Hunter Valley singer and colleague Kristen Lane, who teaches music at Cessnock High School, said Mossop was popular with students.
"She's a really nice lady, very friendly and outgoing," she said.
A South Korean orphan, Mossop was adopted by an Australian family when she was six months old.
After experiencing racist bullying at school she escaped into a world of books which led to university and a teaching degree.
"My life has not been smooth sailing but it has brought me to where I am today and for that I am grateful," Mossop said.
She was the first to enter the Big Brother house on the Gold Coast during the show's premiere on Monday night.
The house has been split in two- luxurious and underprivileged-with the overall winner claiming $250,000. Anderson is on the luxurious side while Mossop will have to rely on the daily hand-outs.
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1673155/gallery-hunter-reality-tv-stars/?cs=303