Jackson Michie had navigated some tough times since his Big Brother 21 win.
“The show was something I needed to do but I was at a delicate place in my life and when I ended up winning the show I didn’t have mentorship or guidance or financial counsel,” Michie, 29, said during an appearance on Julie Chen Moonves’ “God101” series uploaded via Instagram on Sunday, March 2. “Now I’m in Los Angeles — catapulted into the world with the same problems that I had not ever healed from.”
Before appearing on the hit reality television series in 2019, Michie had just relocated to Los Angeles from Nashville and was looking for work. While applying for bartending gigs, he stumbled upon a casting call for the show and decided to pursue it. At the same time, Michie was struggling with health issues and “five years of drug addiction,” he explained. As he geared up for the reality series show, he said he quit using “Xanax” and “cocaine” cold turkey.
During his time on the series, he engaged in a showmance with runner-up Holly Allen and was ultimately crowned the victor. Months after the show, Michie shared that he “spiraled downhill.”
“At 24 having just won $510,000 and having a little bit of popularity in Los Angeles — it was a dangerous combination for me,” he confessed.
After Michie made what he described as a series of “poor financial decisions,” he said he was forced to move back home with family.
“I have at this point blown through all of my money, net negative in my checking account,” he continued. “No car, no job, no plan, going back to the city and the place where I ran from with no idea what [lay] ahead.”
Michie was a polarizing figure on Big Brother. During his time on the competition series, many of Michie’s fellow houseguests accused him of bullying and displaying racist behavior. Fans were also quick to point out that the first few evictees of the season were people of color and targeted heavily by Michie. Michie denied the allegations at the time.
While looking back on his time post-show on Sunday, Michie understood why some Big Brother fans were upset by his win.
Related: ‘Big Brother’ Controversies Through the Years
Controversies are nothing new for Big Brother. The show has been criticized for racism and discrimination over the years, making major waves with an incident that occurred in season 15. During the 2013 season, Aaryn Gries referred to Asian people as “squinty-eyed,” called her Black roommate Candice Stewart “Aunt Jemima” and asked her Korean housemate Helen […]
“Disappointed and discouraged didn’t even put words to how I felt. Because I realized … I did what the people who didn’t like me on the show told me I would do,” he recalled. “‘You’re young, you’re dumb, you’re gonna blow through it, you’re gonna do this and that, you’re gonna crash and burn,’ and I did. I crashed and burned and I hit rock bottom more times than I can count.”
Michie shared that he is now on the right path and has found religion. In addition to his spirituality, Michie has also settled down on the dating front. In July 2023, he married wife Caitlin Goodrich. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Sophia Grace, in May 2024.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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