9A FYLDE sex swap patient has praised Big Brother champion - Nadia Almada - for being a "positive representative" of transgender people.

Hotelier Gina Large, 57, spoke out after the 27-year-old Portuguese-born bank clerk was crowned the winner of the cult programme's fifth series on Friday.

Gina - who underwent gender reassignment surgery last November - said: "Nadia has become a very positive representative for transgender people.

"By keeping her past from her housemates she managed what most of us can only dream about. To be accepted for who she is, not what she is.

"My general feeling is that Big Brother is a very silly programme. It's not something I would normally pay any attention to but I do feel that at times the programme did an awful lot to challenge the ridiculous stereotypes.

"It is probably one of the only shows that has urged the mass public to even let themselves think of transsexual issues."

Almada, who was originally christened Jorge, walked away with 74 per cent of the nine million votes during the Big Brother live final last Friday night earning a jackpot prize of £63,500.