Bree Amer Wilkes, 37, rose to fame on season four of Big Brother Australia in 2004.
Almost a decade ago she capitalised off her experience on TV to begin a career as a casting director/producer behind-the-scenes for notable local series, including The Bachelor, My Kitchen Rules, and The Amazing Race.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, Bree said her past on Big Brother has helped her empathize with reality stars, but worries there are too many people being cast that are too fragile for overnight fame.
Scroll down for video
EXCLUSIVE: Big Brother star-turned-casting director Bree Amer (pictured) has reveals she worries for stars who are too fragile for the spotlight and ‘influencer’ status as the landscape has changed dramatically since she rose to fame in 2004
From a popular runner-up contestant to a prominent TV host on the series’ Friday Night Live games show, Bree soon focused her attention on working behind the scenes to climb the producer ladder.
‘I think some people who are cast on shows these days are just too fragile, and trust me, a lot of frank conversations are had with people before they go on TV,’ she said.
‘People can go through psych evaluations and be warned about the aftermath and how mean people can be, but sometimes you don’t know how fragile stars are until they’re actually doing it (the show),’ Bree added.
Flashback! The 2004 runner-up and TV host on Friday Night Live has since used her insight to become a casting director on the other side of the camera. Pictured in 2004 with host Gretel Killeen and winner Trevor Butler
‘I think some people who are cast on shows these days are just too fragile’: Bree said despite frank conversations and psych evaluations with stars, sometimes it’s impossible to know how fragile stars are until they’re actually doing it (the show). Pictured: The Bachelor 2020 cast
‘I do worry about people, but everyone makes their own decisions and you can only do so much to warn people,’ she said.
Bree also said she was glad to have avoided the ‘influencer era’: ‘I missed the social media thing – I really feel for them [reality stars] as it brings a lot of negativity.’
Despite never being painted as a ‘villain’ on Big Brother, Bree said she had members of the public hurl abuse at her on the street and throw drinks at her at bars.
‘People that have behaved poorly, been mean or a jerk, imagine the abuse they must cop. As a controversial character these days, like on Married At First Sight, I wouldn’t cope, I would go into hiding!’ she said.
‘People come out of reality TV bitter or hating the show or how they were received by viewers, but I’ve got nothing but good memories from Big Brother,’ Bree added.
‘As a controversial character these days, like on Married At First Sight, I wouldn’t cope, I’d go into hiding!’ Despite never being painted as a ‘villain’ on Big Brother, Bree said she received abuse by members of the public, and couldn’t fathom what stars must be subject to now. Pictured: MAFS star Hayley Vernon
‘I was always interested in producing’: On Mike Goldman’s show On The Mike in October 2018, Bree explained the reason for her career change. Pictured: Mike and Bree in 2007
Speaking on Mike Goldman’s show On The Mike in October 2018, she explained how she made the transition to becoming a TV producer and casting agent.
‘I started as low down as I possibly could, I was just always interested in producing,’ she told her old Big Brother co-host.
She worked in street casting for the show World’s Strictest Parents, before she earned the job of casting contestants for My Kitchen Rules.
Bree helped produced five seasons of MKR and has also produced seasons of The Bachelor Australia, Zumbo’s Just Desserts and Bringing Sexy Back.
Her TV producer husband Evan recently produced Channel Seven’s Bride And Prejudice.
Bree and Evan are now the proud parents to three-year-old son Hunter and 11-month-old daughter Harlow.
Family life: Bree and TV producer husband Evan Wilkes are now the proud parents to three-year-old son Hunter and 11-month-old daughter Harlow