Former "Big Brother" contestant Jon Tickle has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), according to reports.
Tickle, 52, rose to prominence on the fourth series of the hit reality show in 2003. He was eventually voted back into the house by the public after his initial eviction.
The news of his diagnosis emerged when his co-star Ray Shah shared a post on Instagram detailing a recent reunion with fellow "Big Brother 4" cast members. Shah mentioned that while the reunion was a joyful occasion, there was "a touch of sadness" due to Tickle's diagnosis.
"For those that don’t know, we were Big Brother 4…one of the OG’s. What a great laugh we had meeting up last night in London," Shah wrote. "There’s a touch of sadness to it though as Jon Tickle was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease a few months ago but fair play to Sissy, she helped get us all together. Planning the next meet up already and we will get EVERYONE back this time. Until the next time legends."
Motor Neurone Disease is a progressive condition that damages parts of the nervous system. This damage leads to muscle weakness and wasting. According to the NHS, MND affects around 5,000 adults in the UK at any given time, with approximately 1,100 new cases diagnosed annually. The condition currently has no cure.
After his "Big Brother" stint, Tickle went on to co-present the Sky One television series "Brainiac," appearing in all six seasons of the science entertainment show.
This year's "Big Brother" series recently concluded, marking one of the most contentious runs in the show's 26-year history, with over 22,000 complaints lodged with media regulator Ofcom. Despite the controversies, ratings saw a significant increase, with over 56 million streams for the series.