Scarlett Moffatt says she regained her body confidence after being praised for being “fat” while filming her new TV show.
The former Gogglebox star and her family lived in a replica of their terraced family home, built in Namibia, alongside the Himba tribe for Channel 4 show The British Tribe Next Door.
When she felt anxious about wearing a traditional outfit after becoming close to members of the tribe, Moffatt said her neighbours told her: “We wish we were as fat as you.”
TV presenter Moffatt told PA news agency: “If any of your other friends said that you’d be like, ‘Excuse me!’, but it’s so endearing and powerful, because there’s no falseness, they don’t lie, that’s just not in their culture.
“And I knew that that was genuine, and the way they were saying, ‘We wish we had your rolls, you’re so beautiful’… I sort of was like, why am I so harsh on myself?
“And I feel like I’ve really grown as a person since then, because that was back in June and on TV shows I’ve been getting my legs out, getting the tops of my arms out – I’ve just been so much more confident in myself.”
She said she jumped at the chance to film the programme with her family.
“We haven’t done anything since Gogglebox all together,” Moffatt said.
“Channel 4 were kind enough to say my little sister and my nanny (nan) could come – I was just like, this has to happen, it just sounds unbelievable…
“We are all as a family, little Gogglebox Moffatts together again, I hope that people really like it.”
The British Tribe Next Door starts on Channel 4 on Tuesday, October 22.