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Scarlett Moffatt hits back after controversial new show British Tribe Next Door is slammed as ‘inappropriate’
23 October 2019, 11:00 | Updated: 29 October 2019, 12:30
Scarlett Moffatt's new reality show received a mixed reaction from Channel 4 viewers last night.
Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt moved her family to a remote village in Namibia earlier this year to take part in reality show The British Tribe Next Door.
Airing last night, the first episode of the Channel 4 creation saw the Moffatts live in an exact replica of their County Durham home in Otjeme, complete with running water, electricity and WiFi.
Before it even hit our screens, the concept of the show received fierce backlash, with many branding it ‘inappropriate’ on social media.
And as Scarlett, 29, and her parents, gran and sister settled into life with the Himba tribe on Tuesday night, the criticisms continued to come in thick and fast.
One person slammed on Twitter: "The Brit family seem like they could’ve adapted fine to living in one of the huts for a week. The house is just an insult to all of them. #thebritishtribenextdoor".
Another blasted: "Wait, hold up. They literally went to Namibia, to build a house with running water and WiFi just for a TV show but there are millions of people that are dying on the streets and don’t have access to running water. I am full on disgusted. #Channel4 #TheBritishTribeNextDoor".
While a third added: “There are so many issues with #britishtribenextdoor but seeing them running the tap whilst washing up and using a dishwasher, when we have just seen the tribe walking for miles to dig for water, is disgusting! I have no words!”
Think this is going to be insulting in so many ways. I am turning over.... #britishtribenextdoor
— Jen Hughes (@jennife04628576) October 22, 2019
What were the producers thinking. This show is all kinds of wrong. #BritishTribeNextDoor
— Baelish (@Baelish01) October 22, 2019
Had to turn off #britishtribenextdoor - embarrassing ignorant morons from the UK, making fools of themselves in front of cultured respectful nomadic tribes people.
— Brett (@599bt) October 23, 2019
And how much did it all cost? Enough to supply a drought village with clean running water maybe?
But Scarlett has since defended the show, saying the people she met were “happy, empowering and beautiful souls inside and out.”
She also added: “Just to clarify we left a water borehole for our friends when we left Namibia which someone maintains #britishtribenextdoor ”
And many other people sent their support to Scarlett, with one replying: “I hear you're getting some criticism for this programme, I watched it last night and thought it was really good and your family showed the locals a lot of respect. Don't let the knockers knock you, you and the family were great ”
Wow @Channel4 you have outdone yourself. What an incredible, episode of #britishtribenextdoor this is. It totally makes you realise how much we rely on materialistic things but also how lucky we are. @ScarlettMoffatt I’m crying 😢 and laughing 😆 all in one episode. Well done.
— Graham Bishop (@GRBISHOP) October 22, 2019
The @ScarlettMoffatt #britishtribenextdoor programme is fascinating! What an amazingly refreshing programme ❤️
— Laura Boyd (@STVLaura) October 22, 2019
And a second added: “Wow @Channel4 you have outdone yourself. What an incredible, episode of #britishtribenextdoor this is. It totally makes you realise how much we rely on materialistic things but also how lucky we are. @ScarlettMoffatt I’m crying and laughing all in one episode. Well done.”
This comes after Scarlett appeared on This Morning telling Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford she’d ‘never felt less judged’ than when she was living in Namibia.
“I just feel like a lot of my days are consumed with how I look and you see your reflection and yeah, it’s not a thing there,” she said.
When Ruth questioned why the family had to take their house with them, instead of just living in the huts, she said: “Then they wouldn’t have seen how we live.”
