ITV defends paying Real Full Monty contestants £10,000 each
ITV has responded to criticism over its decision to pay contestants on its show The Real Full Monty £10,000 each –while the Ladies Night episode raised just £4,000 for breast cancer research.
Celebrities including chef Ainsley Harriott, Loose Women panellist Coleen Nolan and Hi-de-Hi! actress Ruth Madoc performed an on-stage striptease for the show, which focused on prostate cancer and breast cancer in two live specials.
Until this week, a description of the show on ITV's website said: "some of our favourite celebrities bare all in the name of charity". This week, the text was changed to read "some of our favourite celebrities bare all to raise awareness".
"They clearly weren’t television charity fundraisers,” an ITV spokesperson told The Sun. "The Real Full Monty shows’ focus and aim was raising awareness about cancer and encouraging people to make vital health checks."
The spokesperson added: “They were ITV’s most watched factual shows this year, with overwhelmingly positive feedback.”
The controversy has divided opinion, as viewers debated whether celebrities should "donate their time for a good cause" on social media.
Gutted that the full Monty ladies each received £10,000 for getting their prize assets out. Thought the whole idea was about them putting their modesty to one side in order to raise awareness for breast cancer. If I have my facts wrong then I apologise. #FullMontyLadies
— JH (@JAH59) April 12, 2018
Can’t believe the ladies who did the full Monty are being criticised for getting paid! They have raised so much awareness and did amazing!!! Believe it or not “celebs” still have bills to pay.....
— Nicola McLean (@NicolaMcLean) April 12, 2018
I don’t like when celebrities are paid huge fees for charity events. I understand people who work for a charity getting paid, it’s their only job, but shouldn’t a celebrity donate their time for a good cause?
— Flutterby (@Flutterby2011) April 13, 2018
Broadcast last month, the show received positive reviews from critics, though the first episode also prompted four complaints to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom, from viewers who were distressed by brief moments of accidental full-frontal male nudity.