Popular Channel 4 series Gogglebox has been hit with accusations of unethical working conditions by former members of staff, who say they were forced to work long hours and go without breaks while working on the show during the last year.
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Speaking to the Guardian, one Gogglebox employee who recently left said that working on the show was "the worst job" they ever did.
"People have had enough. You don't turn up to work to be screamed at for 12 hours a day," the former crew member said. "It was the worst job I ever did. The way that it's made is inhumane at times."
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It was also reported by the publication that some employees of Studio Lambert, the production company behind the show, deleted the NHS Track and Trace app from their phones to avoid having to self-isolate and further interrupt the show's filming schedule - after some members were alerted by the app to quarantine.
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In response to the accusations, a spokesperson for the production company told HELLO!: "Studio Lambert takes the welfare of its teams extremely seriously across all its productions," adding that they have "a number of measures in place to encourage people to come forward with any concerns they may have, as well as support systems for a range of issues."
They stated: "All our shows since March last year have been produced with Covid-19 safe protocols."
Gogglebox bosses have said all shows have been made with Covid-19 protocols in place
In addition, Channel 4 stated that the broadcaster "has a clear code of conduct which sets out the standards of behaviour it expects from its suppliers and production partners.
"We can't comment on anonymous allegations and rumours, but we are satisfied Studio Lambert is taking appropriate action to ensure the welfare of its teams and to enforce appropriate standards of behaviour across the shows it makes for us."
Showrunner Tania Alexander quit the show in November 2020
The controversy follows co-creator Tania Alexander's shock exit from the show. Back in November, she quit the Channel 4 show halfway through the filming of the 16th series. At the time, Studio Lambert reported that she was leaving to pursue fresh challenges. Tania herself has not provided comment on why she left the show.
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