Noemí Merino, the Lanzarote native contestant of Big Brother 12 + 1, was saved this Thursday from the first nominations of the program. Her first week in the house of Guadalix de la Sierra has given a lot to talk about, especially for her more than affectionate relationship with an Italian, Alessandro. Her sister, Elisabeth Merino, believes that she will not star in any "edredoning" scene, although in the house they are already betting that this will happen. "We are not worried. We are calm, because my sister is not at all exhibitionist and respects the family a lot," says Elisabeth.
Noemí had never applied to Big Brother. It was her sister Elisabeth who, seeing that the casting was being held, encouraged her to attend. "I have applied six times and have never succeeded. When I saw that the casting was announced, I encouraged my sister. From one she went to another and that's how she got into the house," says Elisabeth, who assures that for Noemí's family her entry into the program is "a great illusion, an enormous satisfaction."
Elisabeth explains that in the Las Palmas casting her sister shone brightly. "When my sister appeared, the editor assured that she had seen a light around her. It impacted her, Noemí captivated her," she says proudly. In the presentation video, Noemí, 25, already defined herself as an "outgoing, optimistic, fun, imaginative and self-confident" person.
Elisabeth assures that she is "a very polite and noble girl, with a strong character but sensitive". "She externalizes everything. You look at her face and you already know if she is bad or good. She doesn't know how to hide or lie. If she doesn't like someone, she says it, she doesn't cut herself when it comes to saying what she thinks, but she is not a person who imposes either. She entered Big Brother with the intention that everything be decided by voting. I hope she succeeds," she says.
Elisabeth and the rest of her family trust Noemí. "We are very proud and we will be until the end," says her sister. The contestant is also the sister of Aroa Merino, well known in the islands for her sporting career. Elisabeth hopes that the "circumstances inside the house will allow her sister to continue with her good character." "I know that there will be conflicts, that their character will be modified for not sleeping too much and that in Big Brother everything is magnified," says Elisabeth, using this cliché of the program.
But not only do they trust her, but they see her as a winner. "When she showed up and they passed her the first casting I told her. I told her that she was going to enter and that she would win or, at least, reach the final," says her sister, who, for the moment, likes all the contestants "very much". "It has been a wonderful casting. Everyone who is in the house makes me laugh a lot and the program hooks me," she says.
"Proud of her island"
Noemí grew up in Titerroy, but before entering the program she lived in Playa Honda with her dog Rufi. She works at Zara, in the children's section, on Calle Real, in Arrecife. This street appeared in her presentation video. In it she also showed Famara beach, where she caught her first wave, and danced to the rhythm of a carnival comparsa. Noemí intends to return to the island and to her work after her participation in the program. "I think it will be like that. That's what she wanted," says her sister.
Before entering the house, Noemí had already starred in several news stories on the island of Lanzarote. And it is that the Lanzarote native presented herself in 2004 to both Miss Titerroy and Miss Lanzarote. La Voz collects in this report the photographs of the contestant in these beauty pageants.
"A great sorrow"
And, although Noemí has entered "very excited" to the Big Brother house, she has also left "with a great sorrow". "We found out that she was entering on Sunday the 15th and since then I went crazy to find a Lanzarote cap with the Biosphere Reserve seal. I called the Cabildo, the Tourist Board and the Arrecife City Council. Nobody had anything. Finally, through a friend, I got a cap and a T-shirt, but Noemí had already entered the house. I gave it to the editor who is assigned to her and I hope they will get it to her, because she is very proud of her island and carries Lanzarote as a flag," says her sister. Elisabeth also says that when Noemí saw Mercedes Milá, the presenter of the program, she thanked her for her report in "Diario de" about the "Sol de Otoño" residence.
Although it is not Elisabeth's intention to appear on all television programs defending her sister, she also makes it clear that "if she hears falsehoods and things that go against Noemí's honor", she will not consent to it. "Neither I nor my family. If it happened, I would say enough is enough and I would go to tell the truth, but that is not my intention," she says. And it is that the only thing this Lanzarote native wants is that her frustrated dream of entering Big Brother helps Noemí win the contest.
