The world's first trans reality 星/主役にする who 'paid with her life': Miriam Rivera 発射 to fame in 議論の的になる Sky show where men were 'duped' into dating her - and later took her own life after the fallout 'broke her'

Like many young women with one 注目する,もくろむ on fame and a glamorous lifestyle, Miriam Rivera decided reality TV could be her ticket to a better life after she ran away from home at 14 to escape her father who tried to exorcise her because she was transgender.

Thirteen years later, Miriam was 設立する dead in an 明らかな 自殺, after the fame she 伸び(る)d as the world's first transgender reality 星/主役にする quickly turned dark.?

When an 適切な時期 (機の)カム up to appear on a British reality TV dating show after 存在 spotted in a girl 禁止(する)d, Miriam, then 22, saw it as an 適切な時期 to become a 星/主役にする - 同様に as hoping she might even find love.

However, the 前提 of the 2003 Sky One dating series There's Something About Miriam, saw six men competed to 勝利,勝つ the model's heart without knowing she was transgender?and it was incredibly 議論の的になる.?

After they 設立する out the truth, some of the contestants tried to 告訴する and make sure it never 空気/公表するd, feeling they had been duped by 生産者s.?

'My sister was 偉業/利用するd, then abandoned,' Miriam's youngest brother Ariel Mendoza, told the 後見人.

'She was alone in a f oreign country. Miriam was a 堅い girl but it broke her. I really think they used her. The boys got more help than Miriam.'?

It brought Miriam, who was often known as the 'world's first transgender reality 星/主役にする', much notoriety - later appearing on Big Brother Australia in 2004 - but her fame (機の)カム at a terrible price in the form of transphobic 乱用.?

This 含むd an 出来事/事件 in 2007 when she was 押し進めるd out of the fourth-story window of her New York apartment, leaving her with traumatic 傷害s. によれば her friends, the 治療 she received after the show 原因(となる)d a 法外な 拒絶する/低下する in her mental health.?

New?Channel 4 documentary series Miriam: Death Of A Reality Star is set to delve into her extraordinary, life, death and legacy

New?Channel 4 文書の series Miriam: Death Of A Reality 星/主役にする is 始める,決める to delve into her 驚くべき/特命の/臨時の, life, death and le gacy

Miriam Rivera, who passed away in 2019 aged only 38, was a Mexican model who rose to fame at 21 after appearing on the 2004 British programme There's Something About Miriam

Miriam Rivera, who passed away in 2019 老年の only 38, was a Mexican model who rose to fame at 21 after appearing on the 2004 British programme There's Something About Miriam

Her death in 2019 has never been fully 解決するd - and her husband?Daniel Cuervo has always 主張するd that she was 殺人d.?

Now, a new Channel 4 文書の series Miriam: Death Of A Reality 星/主役にする is 始める,決める to delve into her 驚くべき/特命の/臨時の, life, death and 遺産/遺物.?

Using Miriam's own 発言する/表明する and words throughout, it?also features interviews with?Miriam's Mexican family, telling the story of her troubled childhood before she 移行d.

Ahead of the show 公表/放送, FEMAIL takes a closer look at the 悲劇の tale of Miriam Rivera and what really happened on that day in 2019.?

Where was Miriam born and when did she 移行?

Miriam (pictured in 2004) was forced to flee Mexico afte
r her father performed an exorcism when she started taking hormones

Miriam (pictured in 2004) was 軍隊d to 逃げる Mexico after her father 成し遂げるd an exorcism when she started taking hormones?

Miriam was born in Mexico in 1981.??

指名するd Hugo Cesar, she was 割り当てるd male at birth but felt different to her brothers, enjoying playing with dolls while they liked sports.?

She started taking hormones at just 11 years old and fled to Tijuana, on the US 国境,? 老年の 14 in a 企て,努力,提案 to 改善する her life.?

The Channel 4 show features an interview with her father, who carried out an exorcism on the reality 星/主役にする after she began taking hormones, 軍隊ing her?to run away to America.?

Dating show: There's Something About Miriam?

There's Something About Miriam was a British reality TV show created by Remy Blumenfeld and Gavin Hay and produced by Brighter Pictures, a subsidiary of Endemol. Miriam pictured on the show

There's Something About Miriam was a British reality TV show created by Remy Blumenfeld and Gavin Hay and produced by Brighter Pictures, a 子会社 of Endemol. Miriam pictured on the show

Tom (pictured learning that Miriam is trans) accepted the £10,000 prize money and a holiday with Miriam, but was still visibly shocked by the revelation. However, he later rejected the prize prior to the show airing and joined the other contestants in a lawsuit

Tom (pictured learning that Miriam is trans) 受託するd the £10,000 prize money and a holiday with Miriam, but was still visibly shocked by the 発覚. However, he later 拒絶するd the prize 事前の to the show 公表/放送 and joined the other contestants in a 訴訟

Miriam was 21 when she starred in the 議論の的になる yet popular There's Something About Miriam on Sky One in the UK and Channel 10 in Australia.?

The contestants were flown out to a £2million Ibiza 郊外住宅 to 支持を得ようと努める 'one 素晴らしい babe' through a 始める,決める of challenges and dates.?

Whoever Miriam 選ぶd would 勝利,勝つ £10,000 and a romantic holiday with her on a ヨット.?

However, they were not told she was trans - and the 目的(とする) was to shock them with the 発覚 at the end.?

A voiceover in the show said: 'These heroic guys have no idea that Miriam is as much Steve as Eve. As much Arthur as Martha. From the waist 負かす/撃墜する, she's a man.'

It was only at the end of the final episode that Miriam 明らかにする/漏らすd to the boys: 'I was born as a man'.?

When they 設立する out, the contestants were visibly shocked and tried to 告訴する the show to make sure it never 空気/公表するd.?

勝利者 Tom Rooke, who had been filmed kissing Miriam throughout the show, was left speechless and 走者-up Scott Gibson was 報道によれば so angry that he vandalised the 始める,決める.

'She was upset when they 告訴するd the show,'?Ariel 追加するd.

'The 圧力(をかける) trashed her. People 非難するd her. Some still do. I recently saw a Facebook reel 説 "Look who fooled some guys on TV by pretending to be a woman". After the show, Miriam went 負かす/撃墜する and 負かす/撃墜する. She looked sad whenever it was について言及するd. Maybe she was ahead of her time but I hope her story teaches 寛容.'?

What happened after the show?

The program was filmed in 2003, and aired on Sky One in the UK and Channel 10 in Australia the following year amid great controversy. Pictured, the contestants' reaction to Miriam revealing she's transgender

The program was filmed in 2003, and 空気/公表するd on Sky One in the UK and Channel 10 in Australia the に引き続いて year まっただ中に 広大な/多数の/重要な 論争. Pictured, the contestants' reaction to Miriam 明らかにする/漏らすing she's transgender

There's Something About Miriam also aired in Poland and Argentina in 2005, before being broadcast in the United States in October 2007. Miriam and Tom pictured on the show

There's Something About Miriam also 空気/公表するd in Poland and Argentina in 2005, before 存在 broadcast in the 部隊d 明言する/公表するs in October 2007. Miriam and Tom pictured on the show

After the show 空気/公表するd, years of 拷問 from the マスコミ and the public followed Miriam.?

批評 of the show 含むd a comment from the British 医療の 定期刊行物, which wrote: 'The 前提 was not a 祝賀 of transgender people's lives.?

'It was designed to elicit horror from the winning contestant, discovering that his dream date had a penis.'

一方/合間, the male contestants tried to 告訴する the show and 妨げる it from ever 存在 空気/公表するd. They とじ込み/提出するd 'personal 傷害' 訴訟s to the 網状組織 for psychological and emotional 損失.?

This meant that the show was 初めは meant to 空気/公表する in November 2003 but 合法的な 訴訟/進行s stopped it 公表/放送 until February 2004.??

勝利者, 23-year-old Tom Rooke 最初?受託するd £10,000 and a holiday with her. But he was visibly shocked when he was told she was transgender at the end of the show.?

He later 拒絶するd the prize 事前の to the show 公表/放送 and joined the other contestants in a 訴訟.

The men 申し立てられた/疑わしい 共謀 to commit 性の 強襲,強姦, defamation, 違反 of 契約, and personal 傷害 in the form of psychological and emotional 損失.

Miriam said she enjoyed the notoriety the show brought her, but years of torture and abuse followed. Pictured on Big Brother

Miriam said she enjoyed the notoriety the show brought her, but years of 拷問 and 乱用 followed. Pictured on Big Brother?

They 結局 settled for an 公表されていない 量.

Tom, Aron 小道/航路 and Toby Green 最初 gathered at the Cafe 王室の in Piccadilly, London and were told they were 存在 considered for a show called Find Me A Man.?

While the atmosphere was fun and relaxing, things became 半端物 when a psychiatrist approached the men and asked them questions about their 性の preferences and experimentation.?

One bizarre questions 解任するd was 'How would you feel if your best friend and your mum got together?'.

Slowly, the prospects dwindled 負かす/撃墜する to 30-40 men, who were then led into another room with a catwalk that had 議長,司会を務めるs running up either 味方する of it.

The 可能性のある contestants were made to 観察する women - who were wearing very little - and give each a 'hotne ss' grade on a clipboard.

Tom 反映するd afterwards:?'Now thinking about it, it's not only embarrassing, it's やめる shameful.

'I'd like to think that my 現在の self, if I was ever in that 状況/情勢 and that was asked of me, not only would I 辞退する but I would definitely vocalise my opinions. It was really crass. Horrible.'

Miriam herself 苦しむd with 拒絶する/低下するing mental health after the show - and a terrible 強襲,強姦 in 2007 損失d her 信用/信任 even その上の.??

There's Something About Miriam has been widely described as 'cruel' and 'exploitative', and a similar format is yet to be reproduced anywhere in the world. Miriam pictured in 2004

There's Something About Miriam has been 広範囲にわたって 述べるd as 'cruel' and 'exploitative', and a 類似の 判型 is yet to be 再生するd anywhere in the world. Miriam pictured in 2004

Miriam's friends have 以前 spoken out about an 強襲,強姦 in 2007 that saw Miriam be 押し進めるd out of the fourth-storey window of her Ne w York apartment. She later disappeared for six months, (人命などを)奪う,主張するing she had been kidnapped 銃をつきつけて.??

While past 報告(する)/憶測s have 述べるd the 落ちる as an 事故, a friend of the 星/主役にする, Jeanett ?rtoft, has in past 明らかにするd to the Daily Mail Australia that it was an 強襲,強姦, 説 that 'some masked men threw [Miriam] out from the fifth 床に打ち倒す [of her New York apartment] and she broke almost every bone in her 団体/死体'.

Nikki Exotica - known in the trans community for her music - who was の近くに with Miriam at that period of her life, told the podcast how horrific Miriam's 傷害s were.

'She was in a whole 団体/死体 cast, half her 長,率いる was shaved, she had brain 外科, she had haemorrhaging, her whole 前線 of her forehand was 割れ目d open so they had stitches, she had her 武器 in a sling, she had her 脚s in a sling - she was 不正に messed up and she was in a 昏睡 for, I think, five days before I 設立する her,' she 明らかにする/漏らすd.

決定するd to move on, Miriam spent most of her time after the attack in Europe, never again engaging in showbiz or music - which was her dream before - and instead getting caught up in the party scene.

She was, during this time, also understood to have taken up sex work to 支払う/賃金 off hospital 法案s, which racked up.

In 2015, Nikki said she saw how much Miriam had transformed over the years when the pair met up for a night out in Las Vegas.

'A lot of girls didn't like her... you know, the same for me. I think that's how we connected,' she explained.

However, Nikki 認める that during that visit, she saw a strange new 味方する to her old friend.

'She would just do weird stuff... like, shady, like 正確に/まさに what the girls were calling her! I don't know if it was maybe brain 損失 from the 事故 but she was doing some wei rd stuff she never really did to me in the past.'

A 傷つける Nikki 認める that they'd lost 接触する.?

Danish model Jeanett ?rtoft (left), who befriended Miriam (right) while she was enjoying a party-girl lifestyle in Europe, revealed that she could see the star's growing disenchantment with the scene over time. Both pictured together in an undated photo

Danish model Jeanett ?rtoft (left), who befriended Miriam (権利) while she was enjoying a party-girl lifestyle in Europe, 明らかにする/漏らすd that she could see the 星/主役にする's growing disenchantment with the scene over time. Both pictured together in an undated photo

Tribute:?In a Facebook post, Ms ?rtoft wrote: 'RIP, dearest Miriam. Jan 1981 - Feb 2019. The news about you being taken away from this world far too early and in this way broke my heart and left me in shock and tears'

尊敬の印:?In a Facebook 地位,任命する, Ms ?rtoft wrote: 'RIP, dearest Miriam. Jan 1981 - Feb 2019. The news about you 存在 taken away from this world far too 早期に and in this way broke my heart and left me in shock and 涙/ほころびs'

Danish model Jeanett ?rtoft, who befriended Miriam while she was enjoying a party-girl lifestyle in Europe, 明らかにする/漏らすd that she could see the 星/主役にする's growing disenchantment with the scene over time.

'Miriam いつかs felt like, even surrounded by so many people, feeling so alone,' she explained.

'Knowing so many people but knowing that they look at her but they didn't see her. They listen to her but they don't hear her.

'She would just wanna get out of there and say 'let's bounce girl'.'

Robbie Xtravaganza - another の近くに friends of Miriam's - said it was 明白な that while she was enjoying her time in Europe, the 事故's 影響 and years of sex work were 明確に taking a (死傷者)数 on her.

'She was really enjoying overseas... but you know, she'd been through some s**t at that point...

'You know a lot of girls they don't want to do sex work... but they don't have a real choice.

'That's the avenue that they're 肉親,親類d of 押し進めるd 負かす/撃墜する... so now they have struggles with 中毒 because they need whatever 実体 they need... ーするために numb themselves to 成し遂げる ーするために make sure they have food... 避難所... that night.

'She really was in a place where she didn't wanna be bothered with all that... s**t. Do you know what I mean? She was over it, she just 手配中の,お尋ね者 like peace and 静かな.'

When did Miriam die?

While the cause of death remains shrouded in mystery, her husband Daniel Cuervo, who is based in New York City, has always suspected foul play was involved. Both pictured together

While the 原因(となる) of death remains shrouded in mystery, her husband Daniel Cuervo, who is based in New York City, has always 嫌疑者,容疑者/疑うd foul play was 伴う/関わるd. Both pictured together

Miriam was 設立する tragically dead in her mother's apartment in Mexico in 2019.?

Though 当局 (人命などを)奪う,主張するd it was a 自殺, her の近くに friends and family - 含むing her husband Daniel Cuervo, believe she was 殺人d.?

All of her friends were shocked to hear of Miriam's death in 2019 - and they were even more bewildered to learn that she had taken her own life in Mexico.

Robbie thinks that the idea that Miriam killed herself is 'bulls**t'.

'I emphatically said hell f and no did she commit 自殺,' he 主張するd. 'Never ever ever ever in a million zillion years would that be the 事例/患者.

'You'd have make her come from Heaven and tell me to my 直面する that that was the truth and I still wouldn't believe her.'

'She would never do that to herself and leave her mother alone. There would be no way that she would do that.

'It wouldn't even 事柄 if she was in such a dark place 本人自身で or if she felt that hopeless... she would 苦しむ the 残り/休憩(する) of her life in that helpless, hopeless place not to 傷つける her mother.'

Robbie 追加するd that it was 特に unusual because Miriam had lost her older brother to 自殺 just a few years 事前の.

Nikki was also 怪しげな of the タイミング - given that her friend had 生き残るd and 打ち勝つ such horror に引き続いて the 2007 attack.

'I don't know why life got so hard for her again... I just cant understand it,' she told the podcast.

'I'm just shocked that she took her own life at that point. She was such a strong person... she 手配中の,お尋ね者 to keep on going and get better... I couldn't understand this, why so later 負かす/撃墜する the line? It didn't make any sense to me.'

While the 原因(となる) of death remains shrouded in mystery, her husband Daniel Cuervo, who is still based in New York City, has always 嫌疑者,容疑者/疑うd foul play was 伴う/関わるd.

Mr Cuervo has in the past told Daily Mail Australia that he believed his wife's death may have been 'passed off' as a 自殺 after she 辞退するd to 受託する work as a 売春婦.

'On the morning of February 5, Miriam called me [in New York] from Mexico, telling me she was feeling sick and vomiting 血, so I told her to get to the hospital,' he said, 解任するing the day Miriam died.

'She called me again before leaving the hospital at 12pm and that was the last time we spoke.'

At 2pm, Miriam was 設立する dead by hanging at her home in Hermosillo, Mexico.

When Mr Cuervo learned of Miriam's death, he enquired about the 可能性 of 飛行機で行くing the 団体/死体 to New York.

He was 知らせるd the 団体/死体 had already been 火葬するd, leaving no 適切な時期 to 成し遂げる an 検視.

Mr Cuervo (人命などを)奪う,主張するd an unknown male called him when he was trying to arrange Miriam's funeral and said: 'Don't come 支援する to Mexico or we'll kill you too.'

Miriam's の近くに friend Jeanett ?rtoft also 以前 echoed 類似の 感情s about the death 存在 怪しげな.

'Some say she was killed for going against human trafficking, others say that she took her own life,' she said.

The news of Miriam's death shocked Ms ?rtoft, who said her friend was 'looking 今後' to the 未来 when they last spoke.

'The last time I was on the phone with her, a few weeks before her death, she told me she was just about to finish a degree and was looking 今後 to that,' Ms ?rtoft said. 'She told me she 手配中の,お尋ね者 to 令状 a 調書をとる/予約する about her life.'

However her brother Ariel Mendoza and friend Daniella Real sha re their 見解(をとる)s in the Channel 4 文書の, and believe she took her own life.?

Miriam's death has never been fully resolved - as her husband always claimed she was murdered but others blamed the impact of fame

Miriam's death has never been fully 解決するd - as her husband always (人命などを)奪う,主張するd she was 殺人d but others 非難するd the 衝撃 of fame

Sky later removed There's Something About Miriam from its platforms and apologised

Sky later 除去するd There's Something About Miriam from its 壇・綱領・公約s and apologised

Real believed the reality show gave Miriam fame, which was 消極的な and 永久的に 害(を与える)d her. 一方/合間 Mendoza believes she was struggling with 不景気.?

The programme 示すs 20 years since the 初めの reality show, and five years since Miriam's death.?

Sky later 陳謝s and 除去するd There's Something About Miriam from its 壇・綱領・公約s.?

The Channel 4 文書の Miriam: Death Of A Reality 星/主役にする will 空気/公表する on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week.??

Colin Barr, Creative Director, Factual/Factual 演劇, 期待 TV said: 'Miriam's story is a fable for the ages, not only 向こうずねing a light on the 危険,危なくするs of fame but our 転換ing 態度s to に向かって gender 身元.

'This series is a chance to 回復する Miriam's 評判 as a true 開拓する who was ahead of her time but was made to 支払う/賃金 a 激しい price for it.'

Alisa Pomeroy, 長,率いる of 文書のs, 追加するd: 'Miriam's story is 特に special and 明らかにする/漏らすing as it's one that is utterly unique to its time.?

'Hers is a tale that couldn't have pre-存在するd the 早期に noughties, reminding us of a time that - although only 20 years ago - now feels light years away ーに関して/ーの点でs of 態度s and 代表.'

Miriam: Death Of A Reality 星/主役にする 空気/公表するs this week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on Channel 4 from 9pm.?