How COVID-19 ruined my first BBNaija chance – Liquorose

Nigerian dancer and former Big Brother Naija housemate, Roseline Omokhoa Afije, popularly known as Liquorose, has opened up about how she narrowly missed the chance to join the reality show in 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19.

The reality star shared the experience during a recent podcast interview with media personality VJ Adams, stating that she was already backstage at the 2020 BBNaija live launch when she was unexpectedly dropped.

Liquorose said she was fully dressed, made up, and waiting to be called onstage before the organisers informed her that she would no longer be participating.

“In 2020, I was backstage at the BBNaija opening show. I was dressed up and my makeup was done, but I was not called. That really hurt me,” she said.

She disclosed that the decision left her devastated and depressed, adding that she nearly gave up on her dream of being on the show.

Liquorose, alongside fellow potential housemate Jaypaul, was barred from entering the 2020 BBNaija house after the pair tested positive for COVID-19 during pre-show screenings.

However, the duo returned the following year to audition again and were eventually selected for the 2021 season.

Liquorose revealed that she was initially reluctant to reapply, but a friend encouraged her to try one more time.

“That experience was messing with me,” she said. “The following year, I didn’t even want to audition, but my friend convinced me to try. I auditioned and forgot about it. One day, I checked my spam folder and saw that I had been selected. It was crazy.”

Liquorose went on to finish as the runner-up of Big Brother Naija Season 6 in 2021, losing the grand prize to eventual winner Whitemoney.