A transgender taxi driver told a National Lottery phone operator she was shaking and in ‘absolute shock’, minutes after scooping £4 million on a scratchcard.
A recording of the call Melissa Ede made to confirm her win has been released by the National Lottery.
Miss Ede, 57, is well-known in Hull for her off-the-wall online videos and appearances on day-time TV shows.
Melissa Ede can be heard excitedly celebrating her win during a phone call to a National Lottery operator
She said she had become ‘Mel the millionaire’ following the win, just days after her partner, Rachel Nason, asked to marry her with a Christmas proposal.
In the recording, Miss Ede says to the operator: ‘Hi there. I’ve just bought a £10 scratchcard and won £4 million.’
And she asks woman on the other end of the phone line: ‘It’s real, isn’t it?’
The operator replies: ‘Yeah, I can see it. Yes.’
Miss Ede says: ‘I’m in absolute shock, I’m shaking’
When the operator then asks her if she’s OK to stay on the line so she can gather some details, Miss Ede jokes: ‘I don’t have to worry about my phone bill now, do I?
Melissa Ede posted a video of her strutting around in her kitchen in a pair of gold sparkly hot pants with two scratch cards stuck to her chest
The former taxi driver has called herself ‘Mel the Millionaire’ following her win
After her win on December 30, Miss Ede vowed to continue with her media antics, posting a range of unusual video clips about her life, which have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
She has also appeared on programmes like The Jeremy Kyle Show.
She said the win and her engagement had made Christmas special for the first time in her life.
Miss Ede explained how she had the transition operation seven years ago and now wants to write a book about her ‘extraordinary life’.
Earlier this week Melissa revealed her life story could be made into a global Hollywood blockbuster and that she wanted pop icon Lady Gaga to play her.
She said: ‘I would love Lady Gaga to play me. She’s a very good little actress.’
And she has reportedly agreed to take part in her own reality TV show which could rival Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
She described how she had £20 when she went to a garage in Hull to buy fuel for her taxi and had to decide whether to buy the scratchcard or cigarettes.
She said that after realising she had won: ‘I got back out of my car, I ran into the garage, I just went, ‘Oh my god you will not believe this, you’ve just handed me £4 million’.’