A former participant of Channel 5's reality show Rich Kids Go Skint has alleged that the programme was heavily scripted and fake. Cleo, who appeared in the first season with her mother Anna Nichols and three younger siblings, took to TikTok to reveal behind-the-scenes details.
Claims of Fabrication
In a viral video, Cleo stated that producers asked her family to pretend to be poorer than they actually were. She said: 'Our episode, it was all fake. They said that our local park was that dead, dusty park, where my brothers would go and play, which is completely untrue. My brothers had never played there in their lives.'
She also alleged that a scene where they pretended to be scared due to people following them was staged, with security guards instructed to heighten the drama. Additionally, her mother was sent to a corner shop in Heath, despite not living there, and given a £40 budget for a weekly shop, which she claimed was not realistic.
Behind the Scenes
Cleo concluded: 'It was just very fake, very scripted. My family are not poor, far from poor.' The episode in question featured Chelsea boy Fergus Prutton moving in with the family in Croydon, where he was shocked to learn that Anna's £1,000 monthly wage barely covered rent and childcare. He also struggled to complete a £40 weekly food shop, admitting he usually spends £130 on himself alone.
Channel 5 has been approached for comment. Rich Kids Go Skint is available to stream on Channel 5.
