Scarlette Douglas has spoken candidly about the difficulties she faces as a black woman in television, asserting that she feels she 'can never win' due to persistent stereotypes and unconscious bias. The 39-year-old presenter and property expert, best known for hosting A Place in the Sun and appearing on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2022, where she was the second contestant voted out, shared her experiences in a new interview with the Daily Mail.
Working Twice as Hard
Douglas reflected on the advice her parents gave her: 'You're gonna have to work twice as hard in this country.' She said she has felt this throughout her career, often walking into rooms where there is an immediate assumption that she is not good enough. 'I've always felt that I've walked into a room, and instantly, there's that kind of air of, "oh, they're not gonna be that good, or she's not what we're looking for".'
She explained that when she delivers and demonstrates her skills, education, and mindset, she notices a shift in people's attitudes. 'It's so frustrating, but ultimately, that's what's given me my work ethic, and that's why I've got to where I've got to in my career, because I have worked hard, and I don't take no for an answer.' She added, 'Yeah, I have to work twice as hard because I'm wanted twice as less.'
The 'Angry Black Woman' Stereotype
Douglas highlighted the double standard black women face when expressing themselves. 'If we look at Hispanics, if they get really angry, "oh, they're fiery," it's part of their personality. But yeah, if you're a black woman, if you speak up, "she's an angry black woman," or "she's got a chip on her shoulder." So when can I say something?'
She noted that speaking about race often carries negative connotations, making it difficult to voice her true thoughts without causing drama. 'I have to think about how I say it, because I don't want it to come across in a certain way. Whereas really, I just want to be able to say what I can say and not get the backlash, but people just listen.'
Using Her Platform for Change
Douglas emphasised her desire to start conversations and help others understand different perspectives. 'Some people, we're never gonna get through to them, that's fine. All I need to do is get a conversation started so that people can actually try and understand someone else's perspective on life.' She added that in the past she would have been too scared to speak up, but now she feels a responsibility to use her platform for positive change.
She believes that black people in the industry are finding their voices more and are more confident to talk about these issues. 'I think it's then the others are maybe feeling a bit uncomfortable, but they're addressing it, and they're facing it, and they're showing up to it, and I think that's really important as well.'
Smart Energy GB Partnership
Elsewhere, the property expert has teamed up with Smart Energy GB to encourage Britons to book appointments to switch out older smart meter hardware for new kit. Douglas shared her top tips for tackling household to-do lists, including writing tasks down, tackling quick jobs immediately, and sharing responsibilities. She said, 'One way to manage this is to tackle small tasks as soon as you can - even simple actions, like booking an appointment, can give a sense of relief and make you feel lighter mentally once it's done.'
A Smart Energy GB spokesperson added, 'It's natural to have lots of things to touch up or repair in your home, but as the list gets longer it can become overwhelming. Once we begin chipping away at our tasks we often feel lighter.'
Scarlette's Top 7 Ways to Tackle Your Domestic To-Do List
- Write it down - getting tasks out of your head and onto paper instantly makes things feel more manageable.
- Tackle the quick jobs - if it only takes a few minutes, do it straight away and enjoy the mental relief.
- Face the jobs you keep delaying - the longer you put things off, the bigger they feel, so getting them done early can prevent stress building up.
- Share the responsibility - running a home isn’t a one-person job, so share the load.
- Let tech help you - tools like smart meters and mobile phone apps exist to make life easier.
- Act when you’re contacted - booking appointments for household services as soon as you’re contacted helps keep your to-do list under control.
- Be gentle with yourself - you don’t need to do everything at once; small wins still count.
