Rachel Rice

❧

Wikipedia

Rachel Jenkins
Born
Rachel Rice

(1984-03-07) 7 March 1984 (age 41)
Pontypool, Wales, United Kingdom
Occupations
  • Television personality
  • model
  • actress
  • teacher
Years active1993–present
TelevisionBig Brother UK
Spouse
Richard Jenkins
​
(m. 2011)​
Children2
Websiterachel-rice.co.uk

Rachel Jenkins (née Rice; born 7 March 1984) is a Welsh actress, model and reality television star. She is best known for winning the ninth series of Big Brother UK, becoming the first Welsh contestant to win the show.[1]

Acting career

Rice worked as an actress from a young age, her most notable role was alongside Hugh Grant in the 1993 gothic horror, Night Train to Venice, when she was eight years old.[2] She was most active between the years of 1993-1996; also having roles in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes and The Prince and the Pauper. She also took part in multiple television advertisements including Sony Handicam's infamous Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden, in 1991.

She has a degree in Drama and English, she began teaching full-time in 2013 at Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School.[3][4]

Modelling career

Rice was the runner up in the 2003 Miss Wales beauty contest, which was won by Imogen Thomas; who coincidentally appeared as a housemate in series seven of Big Brother UK. She competed for both South and North Wales in Miss Great Britain.

In 2004, she won the Wales on Sunday newspaper's Welsh Idol contest, she was also a finalist in the 2005 More magazine's Most Fanciable Girl in the UK contest.[5]

Big Brother UK

In 2008, Rice entered the ninth series of Big Brother UK. She survived two evictions, the first in Week 8, where she and 9 other housemates faced eviction as a punishment for breaking the rules, and the second on Week 10, where she survived over Stuart Pilkington, with 41% of the vote. Rice won the show on Day 93, becoming the shows first Welsh winner.[1][2] She won with 51.3% of the vote.

She revealed on Big Brother's Little Brother, that she planned to spend her £100,000 prize money on paying student debts, buying a new car and donated £10,000 to charity.[6] She confirmed this on a 2009 episode of T4, while discussing her first impressions of the Big Brother series 10 housemates.

Filmography

Film and television
Year Title Role Notes
1990 Wales Playhouse Young Sara 1 episode
1993 Night Train to Venice Pia
1994 The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Marina Savage 1 episode
The Lifeboat Debbie 1 episode
1995 Mister Dog Giulia
1996 The Prince and the Pauper Prissy 1 episode
2001 Happy Now Contestant #2
2005 Anthem Party Hostess Short film by S4C[7]
2007 The History of Mr Polly Christabel's Friend
2008 Big Brother Self; housemate Winner, 108 episodes
Big Brother's Little Brother Self; ex-housemate 1 episode
The Sunday Night Project Self; guest 1 episode
2009 Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow Self; audience reaction 1 episode
2012 Missed Connections Hottie #1
2013 Big Brother's Bit on the Side Self; ex-housemate 1 episode

References

  1. 1 2 "Rachel Is The Winner!". Channel4.com. 5 September 2008. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
  2. 1 2 "Hugh Grant co-star Rachel Rice wins the 100,000 pounds Big Brother prize". The Economic Times. 6 September 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  3. ↑ "Cwmbran's Big Brother winner supports Congress Theatre appeal". South Wales Argus. 12 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "Back to reality for Big Brother Rachel". 4 June 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "Miss more 2005 finalists". Archived from the original on 13 August 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
  6. ↑ "http://www.tellyzone.com/bigbrother/2008/09/005-rachels-spent-half-of-big-brother-winnings.html". www.tellyzone.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2025. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  7. ↑ pippoodle (14 August 2008). Rachel rice BB9 Anthem s4c. Retrieved 25 October 2025 – via YouTube.