Zelah's mother speaks out after Caroline misgenders him on Big Brother UK

Zelah Glasson’s mother, Maya Glasson, has finally broken her silence after fellow cast member Caroline Monk misgendered her son during an episode of Big Brother UK. 

In a statement to Your Local Guardian, published on October 8, 2025, Maya shared her thoughts on Zelah’s performance and the way he navigated difficult situations. 

“I’m very proud of him. To us, he’s always been a winner because of the way he conducts himself. I’m just very proud that other people can see that,” she said.

According to Maya, Zelah had “already won” the show because of how “graciously” he conducted himself and opened up dialogues regarding gender and the LGBTQ+ community. 

Zelah, 25, is a transgender man who transitioned in 2023. In the October 7 episode, Caroline upset him by misgendering him during a game of Truth or Dare. 

It all happened when she asked Nancy, a pansexual, to name the housemate she would be intimate with if stuck on a deserted island. 

Nancy took Zelah’s name, to which Caroline said, “She’s a girl.”

Her response immediately triggered reactions from the other housemates, as Feyisola and Teja spoke out in Zelah’s defense. 

Caroline was issued a formal warning by Big Brother, following which she apologized to Zelah for her comment and gained his forgiveness. 

Big Brother UK stars Caroline and Zelah clear the air

In episode 10 of Big Brother UK, Zelah and Caroline sat down for a private chat and cleared the tension between them.

Caroline began by clarifying that her intention was to “make trouble” for Nancy and Cameron, not for him. 

Zelah understood her perspective, but also noted:

“I think Feyisola and the others kind of noticed the direction it was going in because of the whole reproducing thing, and I think they were trying to help you in that and guide it away.”

He then expressed his grievances, saying that he was hurt by the way Caroline sectioned him “away from the guys with the whole reproducing thing.”

Zelah mentioned that it was “tough” being treated that way and then being referred to as a “girl.”

Caroline took accountability for her actions, saying she had “no excuse” for her behavior. She mentioned that what hurt her more was the fact that she had upset Zelah out of all the houseguests. 

The duo’s conversation ended on a positive note, with Zelah telling Caroline that it was alright to “get things wrong.”

He also acknowledged her efforts to connect with their co-stars and do “a lot of learning.” That said, he forgave her.

Zelah opens up about his transition and dating history

During a different chat with Sam, Zelah opened up about his transition, revealing that he got the top surgery nearly two years ago. 

He then shed light on his dating history, saying:

“So, my girlfriend and I, we were a lesbian relationship for a while, and like I think that was her first ever relationship.”

However, the Big Brother UK star noted that he had been in “quite a few” relationships before that. 

That said, Zelah shared that after being a lesbian for eight years, he transitioned into a man.

He first realized that he was queer at the age of 15, and with time, as he became more and more masculine, he realized that he would never be satisfied living in a woman’s body.

Consequently, he received gender-affirming surgery. 

Stay tuned for more updates.