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Big Brother VIP: Everything you need to know about Caitlyn Jenner

With Big Brother VIP kicking off soon, there will be a few familiar and not so familiar faces hitting the small screen but you'd have to have been living under a rock if you don't know who Caitlyn Jenner is.

Whether you love your reality TV, sports or politics, Caitlyn, 72, has achieved huge success across all of these over the years, earning her a unique place as an internationally recognised celeb.

Caitlyn Jenner promotional shot for Big Brother VIP
Caitlyn Jenner has had many and varied careers across sports, TV, business and politics. Photo: Supplied

Jenner was assigned male at birth and was named Bruce. She was always sporty and went on to become a decathlete, one of the toughest of sports as competitors have to take part in 10 track and field events across two days. Bruce was hailed an all-American hero setting three successive world records and winning gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

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After retiring from the sport, everything Bruce touched seemed to turn to gold, having success in television, car racing, film, writing and business.

Jenner had six children from three marriages but it was the marriage to Kris Jenner that really kickstarted that Hollywood career.

While Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which started in 2007, was mainly about the three Kardashian sisters and their mum, Bruce was by wife Kris's side. And as father to Kendall and Kylie Jenner and step-father to Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Robert Kardashian, Bruce couldn't avoid the fame bubble that surrounded the blended family.

Bruce Jenner winning the Olympic Games
Born as Bruce Jenner, Caitlyn, was an avid and successful sportsperson. Photo: Getty Images

However, when Kris filed for divorce in 2014 citing irreconcilable differences, there were rumours that Bruce was unhappy living as a man.

Bruce Jenner and Kris Jenner
American athlete Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner) and wife Kris (formerly Kardashian) at the 1996 Fire and Ice Ball. Photo: Getty Images

In April 2015, Bruce came out as transgender, announcing Caitlyn as her new name.

“I just can’t pull the curtain any longer," Caitlyn told Diane Sawyer in her coming out interview. "I've built a nice little life, I just can't—again, Bruce lives a lie. She is not a lie. I just can't do it anymore."

She also revealed that she had started to take female hormones in the late 80s but stopped when her relationship with Kris became serious. She has always been attracted to women and that hasn't changed since transitioning.

"Sexuality was totally different than what my issues were,” Caitlyn tried to explain to Diane Sawyer. "And I always felt heterosexual. I am not gay… as far as I know, I am heterosexual."

But despite knowing who she was inside, her transition and accepting herself, certainly hasn't been easy.

"I wish I were kind of normal. It would be so much more simple," she told Vanity Fair.

"The uncomfortableness of being me never leaves all day long," she continued. "I'm not doing this to be interesting. I'm doing this to live."

Caitlyn Jenner speaks onstage during the Point Foundation's Annual Voices On Point Gala
Caitlyn is now a TV personality and activist. Photo: Getty Images

But she admits that Bruce is still a part of who she is.

"I liked Bruce. He was a good person. He did a lot in his life," Caitlyn told The Guardian. "Oh, ‘he didn’t even exist’. Yes he did exist! He worked his butt off. He won the [Olympic] Games. He raised amazing kids. He did a lot of very, very good things and it’s not like I just want to throw that away."

Now Caitlyn is focused on her political ambitions - she recently ran for the Governor of California for the Republican Party and her activism for the LGBTQI community.

So why should you watch Caitlyn in the Big Brother hotel? Well, there could be fireworks between her and former political aide to Donald Trump, Omarosa Newman.

And Omarosa agrees that there could be a target on her back with Caitlyn.

"If she takes me out, then she wins points with Donald Trump. There’s no question in my mind he's watching, and he’s watching what she does," Omarosa reveals.

That seems like a fair point of view given Caitlyn has already taken the first shot across the bow! "Boy did she blow it!," Caitlyn says about Omarosa’s days at the White House.

"People that worked at the White House are all working on my campaign; I know every little secret," she adds, hinting she has insider information about Omarosa's political time.

However, Caitlyn says she's an optimist and likes meeting new people. "I like talking to people, learning about them, and I certainly don’t mind telling my story. You can always find the good in anybody and I like looking for the good."

Tune in to find out if these two remain foes or become friends when Big Brother VIP launches!

Big Brother VIP premieres 7.30pm, 1 November, Channel 7 and 7plus

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