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Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gogglebox's Rev. Kate slams 'exploitative' show after horrible toll on family
Former Gogglebox cast member Reverend Kate Bottley, who appeared on the Channel 4 show with her husband Graham Bottley from 2014 to 2016, has spoken about the experience Former Gogglebox cast member Reverend Kate Bottley has described the TV show as "quite intrusive" and "consensual exploitation". She has now spoken about her experience almost a decade on from her decision to leave. Kate, now 50, appeared on the Channel 4 show alongside her husband Graham Bottley and their late dog Buster from 2014 to 2016. The couple, who have two children, welcomed cameras into their home in Blyth during the several series that they took part in the long-running reality TV show. Since leaving Gogglebox nine years ago, Kate has featured on several other shows including Songs of Praise and Pilgrimage: the Road To Santiago. The Church of England vicar also presents BBC Radio 2 's Good Morning Sunday. Kate reflected on her rise to fame on Gogglebox in an episode of the Walking the Dog podcast released yesterday. She said on the podcast: "I wish I'd known how much it took over our life for two and a half years. It's reality TV. It's by its nature ... it's consensual exploitation. [...] It was quite intrusive, really. But y'know we consented to that intrusion." Speaking about her family, she went on to say: "My kids spent two and a half years sat in their bedrooms every Tuesday and Thursday night or whatever nights they came to film. My kids didn't have friends round for a lot [of it and] didn't have help with their homework. Things like that." Kate also claimed that they "got paid very little". She said: "They paid but I cooked two nights a week for the crew." She then said that she offered to cook because Graham "won't eat takeaways" and she didn't want to be filmed eating. She said: "All the money we got from it went on the electricity, the internet connection that they were using and the food and being hospitable to six people in my home two nights a week. It's a vicarage as well - I should be hospitable. "We should be sharing our homes with people and eating food together and stuff. So y'know it was a good two and a half years but we couldn't have done any more with it, I don't think. It got to the point where we were just a bit overwhelmed." Asked if that was why she left, she said on the podcast: "Yeah." She however then claimed that she wasn't able to take part in other TV shows whilst under contract for Gogglebox despite wanting to "have a go" at other opportunities. She continued by saying: "Also, there's quite tight exclusivity and rightly so because if you're filming ordinary people sat on their sofa watching TV you can't then have those people on the TV. It sort of breaks the fourth wall too much." Kate said she was offered shows like Would I Lie To You? - which she has since appeared on - but wasn't allowed to take part because Gogglebox "wouldn't let you do it". She said: "There was stuff coming in that I wanted to have a go at which I just wasn't able, contractually, to do." The former cast member then revealed that she gave an "excuse" when she left Gogglebox in 2016. She said: "And it so happened that it came around the time Ruby was doing her GCSEs so the excuse we gave was 'we're gonna take some time away while she does her exams'."
Scottish Sun
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Gogglebox star slams ‘exploitative' show saying she LIED to quit it and made no money
The former cast member says signing up for the show ended up damaging her family's home life Bitter Exit Gogglebox star slams 'exploitative' show saying she LIED to quit it and made no money Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER Gogglebox star Rev Kate Bottley has slammed the "exploitative" show, saying she LIED to quit it and made no money. Kate, 50, who now presents on BBC Radio 2, revealed she gave a fake excuse to step away from the hit Channel 4 series - but had no intention of ever coming back. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Former Gogglebox star Rev Kate Bottley has slammed the "exploitative" show, saying she LIED to quit it and made no money Credit: Instagram The Church of England vicar, who appeared on Gogglebox with her husband Graham for five series until 2016, said signing up for the show ended up damaging her family's home life. She alleged it left her children isolated, meal times disrupted, and their modest fee swallowed up by hidden costs. Speaking on the Walking the Dog podcast, Kate said: 'I wish I'd known how much it took over our life for two and a half years. It's reality TV, it's by its nature consensual exploitation.' The journalist said she originally agreed to take part in a bid to change how people of faith were portrayed on screen - but soon found the filming schedule was 'quite intrusive'. Her son Arthur, who she described as on the 'autistic spectrum', and daughter Ruby, then still in school, would hide away in their rooms twice a week while a large production crew set up in the family home. She continued: 'My kids spent two-and-a-half years sat in their bedrooms every Tuesday and Thursday night or whatever nights they came to film. 'My kids didn't have friends round for a lot [of the time], didn't have help with their homework. Things like that.' Meal times also took a hit, with Kate adding: 'I'm married to a man who won't eat takeaways, and I don't want to be filmed eating on camera so I was like, 'No, I'll cook.' There were casseroles and chillis.' She added: 'They paid, but I cooked two nights a week for the crew… all the money we got from it went on the electricity, the internet connection that they were using, and the food and being hospitable to six people in my home two nights a week. "It's a vicarage as well, I should be hospitable. We should be sharing our home to people, and eating food together. Inside Gogglebox star Rev Kate Bottley's home with hot tub in the garden - including the bits you never see on camera "It was a good two and a half years but we couldn't have done any more. It got to the point where we were just a bit overwhelmed." Kate said she was first approached to take part after a 2013 video of her dancing down the aisle to Kool & the Gang's Celebration at a wedding she officiated went viral. It clocked more than eight million views on YouTube and caught the attention of Channel 4, who signed her and Graham up the following year. The pair were a hit with audiences, but Kate's confident personality drew online criticism from some viewers. She recalled: 'We used to get that whole 'Oh, you never let your husband speak.' It was like, 'Wow.' Be careful there, your misogyny's showing. 'Of course if you're a confident woman married to a quieter man he must be henpecked, and he must be bossed about - it's not that he's just naturally quieter. In any relationship there's someone that is more outgoing.' She said that while she and Graham were paid, the fee was small - and worse, being tied into the show stopped her from taking up better-paid offers elsewhere. She said: 'As well as finding the modest amount of money we were paid disappearing. There was stuff coming in that I wanted to have a go at that I just wasn't able contractually to do.' Offers from major entertainment shows like Would I Lie To You? were off the table due to the show's strict exclusivity clause. Kate said: 'There's quite tight exclusivity, and rightly so. Because if you're filming ordinary people sat on their sofa watching TV you can't then have those people on the TV. It sort of breaks the fourth wall too much.' Eventually, the family decided to walk away from Gogglebox, but not before offering viewers a cover story. She said: 'It so happened that it came around the time that Ruby was doing her GCSEs so the excuse we gave was, 'We're going to take some time away while she does her exams.' But we were just a bit overwhelmed.' Despite her experience, Kate credits the show with boosting her public profile. Since quitting, she's become a regular on Songs of Praise and built a successful career in radio and television, while husband Graham returned to teaching music. Speaking of her decision to go on Gogglebox, Kate previously told The Sun: "We wanted to show people that just because we have a faith and are Christians, it doesn't mean we are four-headed. Kate met her husband Graham at school when both were aged 13 years old but didn't begin dating until they were 18. Since her rise to fame. she has put her culinary skills under the microscope on Celebrity MasterChef. She has also presented the BBC's Songs of Praise. 4 Kate appeared on Gogglebox with her husband Graham for five series until 2016 Credit: Handout 4 Since her rise to fame. she has put her culinary skills under the microscope on Celebrity MasterChef Credit: BBC
Edinburgh Live
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Loose Women's Kaye Adams left 'devastated' after 'brutal' axe from TV role
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Loose Women panelist Kaye Adams was "devastated" after being brutally axed from a television job for a surprising reason. Kaye, 62, thought she had a "big opportunity" after landing a role as a newsreader in her twenties. But the star found herself feeling "nervous" at the time and "went pokerface" when in front of the camera. At the age of 24, the TV star confessed that she initially found it challenging to adjust to the role. This led to her former boss giving her a call and brutally removing her from the presenting line-up. Speaking on the Walking the Dog podcast with Emily Dean, Kaye said: "I couldn't relax into it and I was too uptight and it showed. I had this wonderful boss, who has sadly passed away, who was a classic gruff Scotsman, a brilliant journalist, but oh my God, he didn't mince his words. "The work environment has changed beyond all recognition from back then, it was brutal. I remember him calling me, I'd done the six o'clock news, and he said,' Oh Kaye, I don't know hen, can you smile a bit more or something? Or put some blusher on. (Image: ITV) "Then he said, 'No, you're not doing it anymore', so he took me off presenting. I was devastated, I was absolutely devastated because this had been my big opportunity. "Then he said, 'No, you're not doing it anymore', so he took me off presenting. I was devastated, I was absolutely devastated because this had been my big opportunity." Kaye went on to say the boss was "right" and feared she was taking it "too serious" due to her nerves, reports Belfast Live. She added: "I do miss the directness of that world, sometimes it could be too cruel or harsh, but it worked for me." She explained she wouldn't have known she had any issues had she not been told. And even today, Kaye admits she has to "fake the smiliness". (Image: (Image: ITV)) She added: "For quite a while I did have to fake the smiliness and I still have to fake it a little bit. I am very Scottish and, no disrespect to lovely English people, but they're lighter and smilier a lot of the time, maybe that's my kind of Scottish." Kaye began her television career as a graduate trainee at Central Television, interviewing Margaret Thatcher as one of her first big breaks. She later moved back to Scotland to host Scotland Today, being one of the first reporters on the scene of the 1988 Lockerbie disaster. She joined Loose Women in 1999, remaining on the show until 2006. She returned for a second spell on the hit ITV show in 2013, with fellow star Andrea McLean. Kaye remains as one of the show's regular presenters alongside Ruth Langsford, Christine Lampard, and Charlene White. They are regularly joined by a host of guest panelists. Speaking of her switch to Loose Women, Kaye said: "I was still quite conscious but the childhood show-off could come out there. In a news and political environment, it is serious and you do want to be taken seriously. "You're surrounded by people who are quite pompous a lot of the time. Whereas there was a completely different environment with Loose Women and you're allowed to take that pressure off."
