The first two-time BB champ talks about putting aside past differences with Britney and Cody.
Good news, everyone: Christmas has been saved!
And its all thanks toNicole Franzel.
Winner Nicole Franzel and the cast of ‘Big Brother Reindeer Games’.Sonja Flemming/CBS
But in the end, Nicole conquered all.
We chatted with the newly minted champion about her latestBig Brothercrown.
Sonja Flemming/CBS
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, how does it feel to save Christmas?
Winner Nicole Franzel and the cast of ‘Big Brother Reindeer Games’.Sonja Flemming/CBS
NICOLE FRANZEL:Amazing.
So that was really cool.
Are you officially now a comp beast?
Taylor Hale and Nicole Franzel on ‘Big Brother Reindeer Games’.Sonja Flemming/CBS
I think becoming a mom, I’ve realized what stress really is.
I was finally starting to warm up and be myself.
Well, you weren’t chill when you won.
Winner Nicole Franzel and the cast of ‘Big Brother Reindeer Games’.Sonja Flemming/CBS
You were super excited.
How does aReindeer Gamesvictory stack up to winning the realBig Brother?
You’ve been the only person that has experience with both things.
Winner Nicole Franzel and the cast of ‘Big Brother Reindeer Games’.Sonja Flemming/CBS
I feel like theReindeer Gameswas so special because I had to do it completely myself.
There was no one.
I had to win competitions.
It wasn’t a vote.
It wasn’t down to who’s friends with who.
There wasn’t any really lying or backstabbing.
It was just making genuine friendships and trying to win competitions when you needed to.
So, for me, it was way harder than an actualBig Brother.
No, I thought that would be such a silly decision.
I literally went to Xavier and I said, Hey, obviously pick me.
There’s no other choice for you.
Anything else is a stupid game move.
They’re disadvantages for sure, but Taylor putting the ornaments on the tree it was like 20 seconds.
I didn’t think it was big enough to hold Frankie back.
And also, you want to get to the finale, so you want to be final two.
It just makes sense.
So I totally respected his decision.
And I would’ve picked me too, for sure.
I know these were long days of filming.
How did it compare in terms of exhaustion to the regular game?
So much more exhausted, so much more emotional, and I’m not really sure why.
First off, you’re scared because someone leaves every single day.
That’s so different.
So there’s no relaxing at all.
I think it wasBig BrotherandAmazing Racetogether with a ton of extra even more on top.
Why are we so upset?
Why are we crying?
Why are we emotional in there?
It literally felt like life or death.
From this group of nine, if you could not have won, whom did you want to win?
That’s a good question.
Had you all really not hashed that out at all before you showed up in the house?
I’m a person where I don’t hash stuff out.
Usually when someone burns me once, I’m just done with ‘em.
It’s a really bad quality.
But my friends know, it’s like, don’t betray me.
I just expect such high quality friendship because I feel like that’s what I give.
I’m so loyal in the real world, not in theBig Brotherworld.
So I just feel like, why would I?
We’ll just go our separate ways.
It is what it is.
We bonded so well onAmazing Raceand something about her makes me feel safe and I trust her.
The last time you and I spoke,you were in tears.
So what was it like then kind of working with him again?
I wouldn’t say I worked with him because …
Okay, so I did once Frankie won the first competition.
I was like, Okay, I’m going to pretend.
When I first saw him, I was like, Oh, it’s on.
And once Frankie won, I’m like, I’m doomed.
They’re going to know it was me who told Britney."
But then it looked like a lot of people told Britney the same thing.
And so then I’m like, okay, I need to play some cards here.
So I just straight up said, Are you going to do it?
Are you going to put me in?
I kind of expected it, and they’re like, No."
So I did play with him.
Because I went in there and I I never begged to be on his team.
I didn’t even know if Iwantedto be on his team because I didn’t know what it was.
And I was just like, I’m going to let the cards fall where they fall.
But I think him leaving made me be able to open up and play my game.
He feels guilty and I’ll take it.
Yeah, for sure.
It was really cool to find out that’s who it was.
I guess you’re the first two timeBig Brotherwinner, right?
And I kind of knew that was going to happen.
I just didn’t knowhowit was going to happen.
I’m the first two-time winner for sure.
