Reggie Bird, a two-time winner of Big Brother, has publicly addressed the online trolling she has experienced, using her platform to call for an end to cyberbullying. Bird shared an emotional post on social media on Thursday, accompanied by images of Charlotte Dawson and 14-year-old Amy 'Dolly' Everett, both of whom died by suicide following extensive online harassment.
"I wish this didn't happen to these beautiful humans," Bird wrote in her post. "And this is happening to a bloody lot of people."
The 52-year-old reality television personality stated that she is currently facing online harassment and vowed not to be broken by it. "This is happening to me and I'm not gonna let these online keyboard cowardly trolls break me! This sh*t has to bloody stop," she declared.
Bird offered words of encouragement to others enduring online bullying, urging them to stay strong and remember their self-worth. "Please anyone that's being bullied online, please stay strong and remember who you are," she advised. "You are special, you are worthy, you are loved."
Charlotte Dawson, known for her appearances on shows such as Getaway and Australia's Next Top Model, died by suicide in February 2014 at the age of 47. Amy 'Dolly' Everett took her own life on January 3, 2018, at age 14, after being overwhelmed by social media bullies.
In recent weeks, Bird had also shared her disappointment after a job application at Subway was unsuccessful. She posted a screenshot of the rejection letter, which stated that her application was unlikely to progress further for a Sandwich Artist position. "Bugger... I can't even get a job making sandwiches," Bird commented at the time. Her followers expressed shared frustrations regarding the challenging job market.
If you or someone you know needs support, Lifeline can be contacted on 13 11 14, and the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.