Her infectious laugh and witty one-liners are what saw Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt become a household name, but after six years in the limelight she’s experienced the darkest sides of fame, which reached a head recently when she described 2020 as her “worst year”.
The once bubbly star has reportedly been left “betrayed and confused” after her mum Betty, 50 – who she calls her “best friend” – confessed to her she’d “stolen” £50,000 worth of her money to fund a secret gambling habit that saw her lose thousands, which she had hoped to win back.
While Scarlett, 30, reportedly “couldn’t have been more supportive” and is helping her mum undergo therapy and go to rehab, Closer’s psychological therapist Emma Kenny believes this hurtful betrayal will have a significant impact on the star.
Emma says, “Scarlett’s probably going to feel very betrayed and a sense of agony over seeing her mum suffer because she’s the closest person to her. She trusts and loves her and part of that is to believe that person would not do you any harm.
“On one hand, she’ll feel a level of shock and disbelief and also let down, which is completely natural and she should be encouraged to accept those feelings are normal. However, she’ll also feel empathy and will recognise that her mother has acted potentially in a way that is outside of the ordinary – perhaps because she’s been bored, frightened or traumatised by the current pandemic as this is a common reason for the spike in online gambling at the moment. Sometimes what we see when people are bored or scared is they act in ways outside of their normal level of reason.”
Scarlett shot to fame alongside Betty on the hit Channel 4 showand her mum has been on the sidelines as Scarlett’s career took off. When she won I’m A Celeb! in 2016 it was her mum’s arms she fell into and neither could contain their happiness. Shortly after Betty became a key member of her daughter’s management team.
She has joined her on red carpets at the BAFTAs, at film premieres and they reunited on screen in 2019 for Channel 4 show The British Tribe Next Door alongside Scarlett’s dad, Mark and sister, Ava-Grace, 13.
On Mother’s Day last year Scarlett paid tribute to her mum posting on Instagram, “My absolute queen, my dancing partner, the other half to my car singing duets, the woman who I call first when I have good news, who I call for support during bad news, to my best friend… Thank you for everything, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Check out: inside Scarlett Moffatt's house
Scarlett Moffatt's house - slider
1 of 7Scarlett Moffatt's schmancy bedroom
Check out that fluffy throw on Scarlett's bed - the ultimate boudoir accessory. The matching rug, black chandelier and floor length mirror further add to the indulgent look. We're feeling it, Scarlett.
2 of 7Bright lights
In true Scarlett style, she's put up a strong message in bright, neon pink lights. She recently shared this photo of her sister celebrating her birthday in her living room, with 'Be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons' glowing from behind her.
3 of 7Serious doggy style
We can't help but assume that this is one spoilt Chihuahua. Bonnie's bed looks far bigger and comfier than any of ours. Oh to have Scarlett Moffatt's dog's life.
4 of 7Scarlett Moffatt thinks pink
Keeping with the pink trend, Scarlett's seriously comfortable looking sofa is a pretty, musky pink shade. We imagine she snuggles up with Bonnie for a night in front of that huge TV when she's not actually appearing on it.
5 of 7Scarlett Moffatt's mum pops round
Scarlett posted a photo of herself with her mam, getting ready to leave on a night out. Scarlett's hallway is painted in neutral shades and that wooden doors looks HUGE. Very classy, in our opinion.
6 of 7Scarlett's green garden
Just look at that patio - we're super jel. And it looks like little Bonnie gets plenty of exercise in the green grass garden. Are you gonna invite us over for a BBQ soon then, Scar?Shut the front door! Oh, you did.
7 of 7Scarlett's front door
Here she is in her spacious hallway, ready to jet off someone fancy! Shut the front door, Scarlett! Oh, you did.
And in her 2017 autobiography, Me Life Story, she wrote, “I didn’t give my mam and dad the credit they deserved for how hard they grafted. That’s why every day I just try and make them proud… It’s my way of saying thank you.”
It’s been a whirlwind few years for Scarlett after she joined Gogglebox in 2014, she amassed a £1m fortune, won I’m A Celeb! two years later, took over from Davina McCall on Channel 4’s Streetmate, before landing a co-presenting role alongside TV legends Ant and Dec on Saturday Night Takeaway.
But things began to crumble for Scarlett in 2018 when false rumours emerged that she had been involved in an affair with her then-married SNT co-host, Ant McPartlin. Claims she refuted, saying, “Ant is like my big brother, it’s so ludicrous.”
That same year it emerged her weight-loss DVD – which she claimed helped her lose 3st – was misleading and rather than following an achievable regime, she’d been surviving on just 700 calories and exercising for five hours a day.
Scarlett has since admitted she regretted doing it. She regained the weight and trolls have continued to attack her looks, reducing her to panic attacks. In 2019, Scarlett broke down in tears on Instagram after being branded “fat” and “atrocious” and later said, “I felt like I wanted to disappear”.
But that was by far the end of it. Scarlett has had to endure betrayal from people she thought loved her and has described certain exes as “lying cheats”. She accused her ex-boyfriend Lee Wilkinson of being unfaithful and “a pathological liar”, following his ex’s claims that he used Scarlett for fame.
And Emma believes that Scarlett is now likely to suffer trust issues. She adds, “The thing about money is, when you don’t earn the money, if somebody gives it to you, you don’t value it in the same way. This may be the case with Scarlett’s mum. That will be painful for her.
“There’s a sad lesson for Scarlett here: if your own mother can steal from you, anyone can. That is how it can be with money and fame. People see someone else who’s been successful, maybe think they haven’t had to work that hard to get where they are, they don’t value it in the same way and feel they have the same access to it because they’re related.”
Scarlett is being supported by her boyfriend, police officer Scott Dobinson, as they build their dream home and has landed a new role on ITV2 show, Love Bites.
Emma adds, “I’m sure Scarlett will feel a lot of empathy for her mum, she can see she’s been in pain and will always love her. The pair clearly have a very strong bond – she’s said she feels indebted to her parents for the sacrifices they made her for. Clearly she will be bravely supporting her mum through this and I am sure they’ll move past it in time.”
Closer approached Scarlett’s representative for comment.
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Problem gambling rises during lockdown
COVID-19 has impacted everyone’s lives significantly, but stats have shown that it’s triggered a huge rise in problem gamblers seeking help. The “stay at home” restrictions and furlough have made those who may turn to gambling more likely to do so.
During the first lockdown, the Gambling Commission reported a rise of 88% in online sports betting, while gambling helpline the Gordon Moody Association also reported that the number of interactions with problem gamblers had increased from 30 a month to 1,000 a month.
Seek support for problem gambling by calling the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visiting Gordonmoody.org.uk.
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