Scarlett Moffatt says Gogglebox was "kind of exploitative"
Former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt has opened up about her early days on the show, claiming that the series was "a bit exploitative".
The TV star originally broke out on the Channel 4 series, before going on to wider fame after winning I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2016.
Appearing on a new episode of Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's podcast Parenting Hell, Scarlett spoke about how she originally signed on to Gogglebox when a researcher friend at Channel 4 suggested she and her family try out for the show.
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Recalling getting the offer to appear, the star revealed: "My dad, the man who says nothing on Gogglebox, said, 'It's £50 and a free takeaway, innit?' That's honestly how it started. £50 each we used to get, and a takeaway."
Rob – who has appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox – then claimed: "I think it's a piss-take, because you weren't allowed to do anything else. You probably wouldn't be able to do this [podcast] when you were on Gogglebox. They've got quite strict contracts."
"Because I didn't live at home, I thought, this is a perfect way of actually being able to go home and watch telly with my family, have a takeaway and stuff," Scarlett said. "So actually it was quite nice. When I look back, it's very fond memories."
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"Yeah but you were getting paid £50," Rob reiterated. "Do you know how much Channel 4 are getting for adverts?"
Scarlett then admitted: "Do you know what I always think about – I've never actually said this before – but it was a bit exploitative. My face was on T-shirts, Easter eggs, books. We couldn't like agree to that, disagree. Didn't get paid for any of that.
"Now I think about that, I should have been getting at least a penny for each Easter egg sold or something with my face on!"
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Rob then suggested it was "better that you've gone your own way now and done your own thing".
"I just love it, honestly," Scarlett continued. "It was never the plan, which I think makes it even better. I do get imposter syndrome sometimes. Sometimes I do think, someone's going to swoop in and go, 'Come on, you've had enough now!'"
Digital Spy has reached out to Channel 4 for comment.
In other news, Scarlett recently announced her engagement to boyfriend Scott Dobinson, revealing that their son Jude played a role in the proposal.
Gogglebox airs and streams on Friday nights at 9pm on Channel 4.
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