Scarlett Moffatt has been busy since lighting up the nation's screens on Gogglebox and as 'Queen of the Jungle' on Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! She sat down with HELLO! to fill us in about her latest project and a life-changing realisation about body confidence.
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"What I've really noticed especially among my friends is as you get older, people stress out that they don't look how they did when they were sixteen. I'm just here to remind people that that's fine at 31 to not have the body of a 16-year-old," Scarlett enthuses.
WATCH: Scarlett Moffatt has fun watching people's hotel breakfast buffet behaviour
The 31-year-old star is jetting off to Istanbul for an exciting new project so our chat quickly turned to holidays, her Hampton by Hilton hotels campaign, her fondest holiday memories with her boyfriend Scott Dobinson, and where she is at now with her mental health.
Scarlett Moffatt on body confidence in a bikini
Scarlett marks the holiday that sparked change
HELLO! What's your fondest memory of being on holiday with Scott?
"We went to Antigua, and that was amazing. Normally I'd feel like I had to really dress up, whereas I was just so comfortable. And this sounds absolutely pathetic, but it was the first time I'd worn a bikini in about eight years or something. And not just that I was sat in a bikini whilst eating pizza!"
Scarlett explains that this little epiphany changed everything for her. "It doesn't sound like much but I just remember thinking 'God I literally don't care' and then I realised no one was sitting staring - everyone's on holiday enjoying themselves!"
Scott and Scarlett beaming on their romantic holiday
HELLO! loves your positivity and body confidence. How did you get to this point?
"I did use to care, it hasn't always been easy. I have friends who are very conventionally stunning - and they still have hang-ups! Women seem to hate the way that they look. And I think you've just got to be happy in yourself... and then it's a bit like a human shield - you become invincible."
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HELLO! What does body positivity mean to you?
"A big thing that I try and get across is that body positivity isn't just big girls united. It's celebrating every person's body whether you want to be fit or you want to be fat, as long as you're healthy, people shouldn't care. You've just got to celebrate who you are and just be happy. Everything becomes comes easy after that."
Scarlett's after-sun appearance was a happy affair
Scarlett's exciting new project as she emerges happier and healthier is a collaboration to celebrate the nation’s proven love of breakfast with all 41 Hampton by Hilton hotels in the UK offering free hot buffet breakfasts.
"One of the things I look for when I'm like staying in a hotel is a free hot buffet. So as soon as Hampton by Hilton were talking about the campaign, I was like, 'I'm in, I heard the word hot buffet breakfast. I'm in'," she chuckled.
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Scarlett Moffatt's holiday buffet diet
HELLO! What are your ultimate holiday buffet tips?
"I always take the beach bag or a bigger bag down to breakfast so I can smuggle a couple of rolls in," Scarlett said, adding that she is a self-confessed "smuggler."
Scarlett confesses to being a breakfast buffet 'smuggler'
Her boyfriend Scott has a totally different approach, while Scarlett loves to try everything. "I can't do that thing where people have a bit of all sorts on one plate? They've got a bit of meat and then they've got strawberry jam and I'm like, no, I can't cross-contaminate. My boyfriend does that though, he's not bothered."
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Scarlett Moffatt on holidaying with boyfriend Scott Dobinson
HELLO! You and Scott disagree about the food approach, so do you ever disagree about where to go on holiday?
"He is so easygoing! I feel like in relationships, there's always one person that's the organiser. And I'm the organiser," Scarlett clarifies.
Scarlett and Scott embrace the meaningful moments
Over lockdown, Scarlett and Scott discovered the beauty of staycations and one of their favourite trips was to Manchester. "We've really started enjoying staycations and we stayed at Hampton by Hilton in Manchester in the northern quarter and that was quirky as. And it's only down the road, but it felt like a proper holiday."
Staycations to city breaks Scarlett embraces it all
The happy couple are totally in sync and always agree to do "one extreme or the other." Scarlett reminisced about their highlights so far, saying: "So we either go on a city break with sightseeing and trying traditional cuisine. Or we just have a relaxing holiday where the aim is to literally have the Fitbit App going, 'You need to move! Are you alive?' To me, that is the sign of a good beach holiday to be honest."
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Scarlett Moffatt on Instagram pressures
HELLO! When it comes to like Instagram, do you feel pressure to post picture-perfect images?
"I've got a little sister who is 16 so I actually do the opposite. We need to remember to post the real bits so if I am having a really crappy day, I actually do say: 'Guys, just so you know, yesterday I was on cloud nine but today I'm feeling crap, I'm going to have a reset day where I just chill in bed.'"
Never underestimate what your body can do
Scarlett is mindful of the impact that posting overly idealistic content has on the younger generation. "Because otherwise, people think everyone's life other than theirs is perfect. It's not, unfortunately." But Scarlett's optimism always shines through: "I wish we could all just be happy and unicorns and rainbows!" she laughs.
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Scarlett Moffatt on mental health
HELLO! as someone who has helped raise mental health awareness, do you think there's still a long way to go?
Scarlett said: "I feel like it comes in waves and troughs. Some weeks, it feels like everyone's on the same train. And we're all like, 'Yay, let's just be kind!' And I do think everything's got a lot kinder since COVID."
Don't let your mind bully you out of having fun!
HELLO! In May you guest-edited HELLO!'s Digital Mental Health Issue and you were really open about where you were at emotionally. How are you feeling since then?
"Before, I would have more down days whereas now that down days are very, very far and few between and when I did the shoot and I spoke about being an ambassador for the Samaritans, that to date is the thing I'm most proud of. I hope that people can see that it can come full circle."
Scarlett's stunning full-circle moment
As well as championing the Hampton by Hilton hotel free buffet experience, which now offers guests delicious options from plant-based alternatives to locally sourced ingredients, Scarlett has taken part in an entertaining video documenting the five behaviours she observed at a Hampton by Hilton breakfast buffet. Find out more and book your stay here.
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