How Big Brother winner Tim Dormer played and won the game Tim Dormer nailed the Big Brother strategy - and took home $250,000 in the process. Incredibly smart? While many of us may love to hate Big Brother contestant Tim Dormer, he obviously had what it takes to win because last night he silenced all the naysayers and walked away from the reality TV show $250,000 richer. And that's just the beginning. Three months ago a frizzy haired, lanky loudmouth entered the house and there was a collective groan from viewers and the media. "Most annoying contestant ever" screamed the headlines. News.com.au called him a "serial show off" and said he was one of the "worst things about the show." But we will humbly admit we were wrong because, like all good surprise packages, Dormer grew on us and he must have grown on viewers too because they saved him from countless eliminations. So how does a pranking, opinionated pest turn the public tide towards him and win one of the country's biggest popularity contests? Winners are grinners. Picture: Channel Nine Source: Supplied "I don't think I changed," Dormer told news.com.au after his win, "I think Australia just learned to love me and they fell in love eventually. At first (my behaviour is) confronting and I think it takes time to fall in love with that, but Australia goes for the underdog, the person that puts themself out there and shows their flaws and does have a heart, not just the person who plays with their head. I wasn't afraid to show the messy bits, the good and the bad, the cringe-worthy and I put it all out there on the line. Dormer said he didn't know how people would feel about him going into the Big Brother house. I knew I'd either be one of the first out or one of the last. I walked in thinking with my head and thought I'd use my intelligence and cunning wit to nominate strategically and not let my emotions get in the way. But you can't do that after a month, you're not human if you're not affected by people getting hurt and turning on you, so I learned to play with my heart and to trust my gut instinct and no one else did that. Tim emerges from the house after more than 100 days inside. Pioture: Channel Nine Source: Supplied I'm proud I did things like putting myself up for eviction, that doesn't make sense, but it worked, because people go 'what's this guy on about'. The former Nova employee said he could literally hear the fans willing him on during live crosses to the studio audience and giving him their approval. Every time I was saved it gave me confidence and encouragement to go harder and stronger, it's like when you're on a roller-coaster and they say 'scream if you want to go fast', and every time I was talking to Sonja (Kruger) I'd hear people scream and it just pushed me to go further. Some might find it hard to believe that a show which sees contestants sunbake all day is actually a highly strategic game, but Dormer says it takes some smarts to win. You've got to want it bad and you've got to want to be there, you have to realise that people are watching, it's not a holiday, some people just went in there to lay by the pool and pump muscle in the gym, but I was always the first up and the last to go to bed. It was like going to work in a way - you have to work hard at it. Tim is now the proud owner of $250,000. They might have got the experience they were after but I wanted the title and the glory and that's what I got. So is it all just one big performance or is what you see what you get? I was aware of us being watched, that is Big Brother. Australia is always watching so I was performing to keep myself interested, I get bored easily and if I didn't keep myself entertained, I would have been banging my head against the wall so I had to try and occupy my own imagination. But what you saw was definitely me, I wouldn't know how to be any different.