Nigerian Deborah Agboola was named second runner-up in the 2017 UK edition of on Friday night.
The 25-year-old data analyst and single mum finished behind winner, Isabelle Warburton, a first runner-up, Raph Korine.
She had entered the house with her sister, Hannah Agboola, who was evicted on Thursday night.
Cutting a glamorous figure in a plunging lace gown on the final night, Deborah told host Emma Willis that she was pretty floored that she was crowned ‘Most Deserving’ of her place in the house and got very emotional about it all
“I was lost for words. It means that someone’s heard my story, someone’s listened to me and understood where I’ve come from,” she said.
“It was nice to know that everyone thought I earned my place here. I didn’t just coast through or slide through. It was nice to know I was deserving of whatever position I was going to be in. I was happy with that.”
She said she couldn’t have done it without her sister Hannah, as the house was too volatile and confrontational.
“She was my backbone,” she said of her sister, adding, “and it was hard as I had to de-attach myself from my daughter and that’s the first time I’ve ever done that in four years.
“So it was nice to know I had my blood, my only alliance, the person I was loyal to. I met amazing people, but no matter what happened, she was always by my side and that was nice.”
“I thought I could argue,” she joked, reflecting on the fiery temperament of the house, adding, “I never thought people would argue about spaghetti… I had to drop my old ways.”
Isabelle, Raph, Deborah and Tom Barber made the final four of the reality TV show.
