Thug attack left Big Brother star Charlie for dead

Jun 14 2009 by Katy Simpson, Sunday Sun

THE sister of Big Brother’s Charlie Drummond has told of his battle to survive after he was beaten up by thugs in a horrific random attack.

Sara Drummond has revealed how her brother was targeted in an unprovoked late-night assault, and left with a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain.

His injuries were so severe, his family feared they could lose him.

Behind the smiles, the bubbly North BB contestant has been secretly battling with confidence issues since he was attacked less than two years ago.

Charlie, who was crowned the regional winner of Mr Gay UK in 2007, was walking with a friend next to the Tyne Bridge in Gateshead when they were approached by a man.

The 22-year-old from Heaton, Newcastle, was punched to the floor, and hit his head on the pavement.

It happened just months after he had been tested for a brain condition, following his mum’s sudden collapse which left her needing round-the-clock care.

She suffered from an aneurysm – a swollen blood vessel in the brain caused by a weakened vessel wall – sparking fears for Charlie and Sara’s health.

They both had scans, and were found to be healthy, but when Charlie was attacked eight months later, Sara couldn’t believe the family was going through hell again.

“It was just awful,” said Sara, 21, of Byker, Newcastle, whose daughter Emily, 15 months, is adored by Charlie. “At the hospital they did a brain scan and found he had a fractured skull and a clot on the brain.

“We didn’t know if he was going to pull through. It was just like, could anything else go wrong?

“He woke up the next day and it was really emotional. He was so groggy, but he could remember exactly what happened.