Chanelle Hayes, 33, reveals she’s taken the COVID jab

Chanelle Hayes has revealed she’s been vaccinated against COVID-19, weeks after the government started to roll out the jab.

The former Big Brother star, 33, took to Instagram to reveal she had a headache and that her ‘bones and muscles [were] hurting’ after taking the jab on Sunday.

Taking to her Instagram account, she also defended herself against accusations of ‘jumping the queue’ for the jab, as she revealed she now works in healthcare.

After sharing a snapshot of her form ahead of going in for her vaccination, she said on Monday morning: ‘So last night I felt a bit ropey after my COVID jab. Slept like a log and woken up feeling normal with just a sore arm.’

With the NHS currently offering the vaccine to the elderly, vulnerable and frontline health and social care workers, questions were raised about how she qualified.

She explained: ‘To those asking why I got my jab so early… I work in healthcare on the frontline with vulnerable people and have also applied to vaccinate people through St. John Ambulance volunteer service so it was a necessity really.

‘Not jumping the queue for personal gain, just following protocol in order to help others and make life good again.’

Hours later, she then followed up her series of posts to reveal that she was feeling under the weather as the vaccination worked its way into her system.

Sharing a snap of herself donning glasses as she posed for the camera, she wrote: ‘Spoke too soon. Feeling a bit [s**t] now. Headache, shattered, throbbing eyes, can’t lift arm, bones and muscles hurting. Will be back to normal in no time I’m sure.’ 

Chanelle’s posts come almost a year after she underwent a hair transplant in February – and last month she updated her Instagram followers on the progress.

Taking a snap of herself wearing a band in her chestnut mane, the TV personality wrote: ‘Shameless selfie! I actually get a lot of people asking me for updates on my hair transplant progress so I thought I would post this pic.

‘Never before would I have ever been able to wear a headband with my hair back like this because of the receding-ness at the sides. 

‘The hair is still thin as it’s new and not been a year yet. I am going to visit Dr Farjo at @farjohairinstitute in February for my year check up so will post again then.

‘When the results are exactly how we want them I will be posting progress all the way from start to finish including during the procedure and monthly growth etc. So so happy that I can put my hair back like this ❤️’

Back in March, Chanelle shared photos of her scalp post-transplant as she revealed the 10 hour procedure helped restore her lost self-esteem.

She displayed her bloodied and painful-looking scalp in a candid photo taken at the Farjo Hair Institute in Manchester.

The reality star revealed she had undergone the procedure after years of fluctuating weight affected her natural hairline. 

Discussing her motivation for going through the procedure, she said: ‘I’ve always had a masculine, high hairline and it’s always been something that’s bothered me and affected my confidence. 

‘With that being said, I didn’t want to just jump in without doing research and end up with a hairline disaster that could have ended up affecting my confidence even more. 

‘So I have (for literally YEARS) done research to find the very best surgeon available. And thanks to my friend Anthony (in the pic accompanying me) who is a trichologist recommended @farjohairinstitute to me after attending some seminars done by Dr Farjo.

‘He is absolutely THE BEST. From the very first consultation to the end of a long day of surgery Dr Farjo and the team were completely professional and empathetic to how my hairline was affecting me.’

Revealing she is now on a journey to a thicker and full head of locks, she said: ‘I was at ease throughout the whole 10 hour procedure and am so so sooooo excited to see what my new hairline will look like. 

‘We have a long way to go as the hair implanted falls out and grows back naturally so maybe 12 months or so until I get to see what my new hairline will look like. 

‘It’s so taboo for some reason for females to discuss hair loss and so I wanted to be clear, open and transparent about the whole thing. Would I love to have a long, thick head of shiny hair naturally? Yes, but I don’t.

‘So I am working with what I have. And getting a FUT method hair transplant was the first step to looking feminine, becoming more confident and gaining back some of my lost self esteem that ran away with my hair!

Speaking with Closer magazine at the time, Chanelle discussed how her fluctuating weight contributed to the problem. 

She explained: ‘I always hated my forehead, but my weight gain and loss has really receded my hairline and thinned out my hair. Gaining weight also changed my face.

‘So this transplant is just one thing to get me on my way to feeling better about myself.’ 

Back in 2016, Chanelle revealed she was suffering with severe hair loss, as her weight fluctuated between 14 stone and seven stone over the span of two years.  

Speaking on Loose Women she said: ‘My doctor told me I’d done lasting damage and there’s nothing I can do to change that.

‘My hair is so thin and horrendous from the lack of nutrients, I’ve got like five real hairs left. When I was excessively dieting it got thinner and it’s never recovered.

‘My nails are in a bad way too – I have to have false ones on because they’re too weak and flaky.’   

Chanelle has been on a health kick since 2019, when she revealed she had increase a dress size after eating badly for six weeks, and also from the challenges of becoming a mum.

Last year she lost three stone after ‘putting in a lot of effort and hard work’.

The star, who first shot to fame in 2007 as a feisty 19-year-old contestant on Big Brother, regularly posts Instagram updates documenting her fitness regime.   

The star is mother to Blakely, nine, with footballer Matthew Bates, and two-year-old son Frankie with ex boyfriend Ryan Oates, and she admits she battles staying in shape with motherhood.