Anna Nolan facts for kids

Anna Nolan (born 16 October 1970) is an Irish television presenter and producer. She has worked on many TV shows in Ireland and the UK. Before her TV career, she was a business manager, a waitress, and even played basketball for Ireland.

Anna Nolan's Early Life

When Anna was young, she joined a convent with the Sisters of Loreto. She remembers her time there fondly. She said she loved the nuns and the work they did. She called them "the coolest group of women". She left the convent later on.

Anna Nolan's Career in Television

Becoming Famous on Big Brother

Anna Nolan became well-known in 2000. She was the runner-up in the first series of the British reality show Big Brother. This show puts a group of people in a house together. Cameras watch their every move.

Anna was part of a famous moment in reality TV history. This was when Craig Phillips faced off against 'Nasty Nick' Bateman. Nick was known for trying to manipulate others. People still ask Anna if she is "Anna from Big Brother". She now accepts her past on the show.

She described her time on Big Brother as challenging. She sometimes wanted to leave because she was bored. Other times, people irritated her, or she missed her family. She said it wasn't about enjoying it, but about getting through it. Before joining, she didn't think anyone would watch the show. In 2010, RTÉ Ten listed Anna as one of the "Top 10 BB Housemates".

Presenting TV Shows

After Big Brother, Anna started working in television. She paved the way for other Big Brother contestants to do the same. These included Jade Goody and Chantelle Houghton. Anna worked for the BBC on two series: Anna in Wonderland and Closure.

She also began working for RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster. Anna co-presented The Afternoon Show on RTÉ One. She worked on this show for three years. She decided not to renew her contract in 2006.

In 2006, Anna was a presenter for the BBC show Inside Out. She filmed with the BBC North East and Cumbria team. They investigated strange events in Newcastle upon Tyne. They even did a paranormal investigation at Hurworth Grange Community Centre. This show aired in October 2006.

Anna has also been a guest on the RTÉ Two discussion show The Panel. From 2007 to 2009, she was a reporter for the RTÉ series Would You Believe. She also cooked a meal on The Restaurant. In October 2007, she co-hosted Celebrities Go Wild with Aidan Power. In August 2010, Anna appeared in Ultimate Big Brother.

Producing Television Shows

In 2011, Anna Nolan became a producer. She produced the show Operation Transformation. She also produced the reality show Mission Beach for RTÉ. She writes a weekly column for the Evening Herald newspaper.

In 2012, she directed her first documentary called "Perfect Heart". This film was about a man waiting for a heart transplant. She was also the series producer for the RTÉ show "Room To Improve" in 2012. Anna presented The Great Irish Bake Off for TV3. In 2014, she was the Development Executive for COCO Television.

As of 2022, Anna Nolan is the Head of Development at COCO Content. She also produced the St. Patrick's Day 2024 Parade coverage for RTÉ Television, working for COCO.

Anna Nolan's Personal Life

Big Brother host Davina McCall said that Anna Nolan was the only Big Brother housemate she ever became friends with. They still keep in touch in 2023. Anna has also stayed in contact with Craig Phillips and Mel Hill. She also supported Jade Goody during her battle with cancer. Anna met Jade several times, even though they were on different series of Big Brother.