Alex Sibley, the former Big Brother star, has secured a seat for Reform UK in the local elections held today (Friday). He won control of the Emerson Park ward in Havering, east London, as the party made significant gains across the country.
Reform UK's Success
Labour suffered a major defeat in these local elections, with Reform UK sweeping up votes nationwide. Leader Nigel Farage expressed his delight at the results, calling it a historic shift in British politics.
Alex Sibley's Victory
Sibley, 47, who rose to fame on the reality TV show Big Brother in 2002, only recently announced his political ambitions. He won the Emerson Park seat with 1,255 votes, trailing slightly behind his fellow Reform candidate David Johnson, who secured 1,306 votes.
Sibley appeared in the third series of Big Brother, sharing the house with the late Jade Goody, Alison Hammond, Adele Roberts, and winner Kate Lawler. After his reality TV stint, he ventured into modelling and presenting before turning to politics.
Just days before the polls opened, Sibley shared his new career move on Instagram, posing beside David Johnson in a blue rosette. He captioned the post: "It's Official. 7th May 2026. With a combined age of 126 years old and no degree from Oxford or Cambridge in Politics, we are Emerson Park candidates for Havering and Reform UK."
Political Reactions
Speaking in Havering this morning, Farage said he was "thrilled and delighted" by Reform's results. "I can honestly say you are witnessing an historic shift in British politics. This (Reform UK) is now the most national of all parties," he added, noting that Labour and the Tories were being "wiped out."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged the "tough" result for Labour but stated he would not give up his powers.
Alex Sibley's Background
Alex first came to fame on Big Brother, finishing third behind Johnny Regan and Kate Lawler. He later appeared on Nickelodeon and Celebrity Bling Date but stepped back from the limelight after a devastating car crash.
In a 2020 interview, he said: "A major thing happened in my life. A guy ran into the side of my car and died from his injuries. I lost my kids TV programme. I had a live show on Nickelodeon, and I was about to do panto. Because that all lost I then started hating Big Brother because it was my stepping stone into doing something else. I was making a lot of money. The first year I made nearly £250,000 which is insane."
