TV

Gogglebox star penniless and facing homelessness after giving away showbiz earnings

It's not the most wonderful time of the year for some

Gogglebox star Sandra Martin has been left completely broke after spending every penny she’s earned since finding fame on the smash TV show.

“I have no money coming in. It’s scary,” she told The Daily Star on Sunday.

And the Londoner – who is allegedly signed up to appear in Celebrity Big Brother next year – added that things are currently so bad, she will be completely homeless by the new year.

But it’s a string of bad luck – and a habit of being over generous – that has left the bubbly Brixtoner in dire straits and not a love for the finer things in life.

Read more: Jeremy Kyle gives Sandra Martin some shock advice

Sandra, 55, has admitted that she has lost all of her money – and friends – since becoming a fave on Gogglebox (alongside best pal Sandi Bogle) as a lot of her friends used her as a cash cow.

“All my friends were on benefits, so when I got Gogglebox it was like I’d won the jackpot,” she continued.

“If one of my friends needed £100 then I’d give it to them. I’d always be getting the drinks in and buying the food.

“I didn’t mind at first but then people started taking advantage, so I had to get out.”

Sandra quit the hit Channel 4 show earlier this year, but things were starting to look up after she was signed up to star as the Spirit of the Ring in Maidenhead’s pantomime, Aladdin.

But her run in the panto didn’t last long as she had to pull out of her commitments, apparently due to ill health.

“I’m okay, my high blood pressure is stabled,” she wrote in a social media post. [sic]

“What happened was I had a little mini panic attack. The doctor checked me over and everything.

“Too much excitement, you know, too much. Got some tablets prescribed. Me not put fame and money before my health. Me love me life.”

Read more: What does Scarlett Moffatt regret saying on Gogglebox?

But leaving her role in the panto means Sandra won’t have any income until she gets paid from her Celeb Big Brother stint in 2018, leaving her unable to pay for accommodation.

“I thought it was the best thing to do to survive, living out of my suitcase. I’ve really been trying my best,” she added.

It looks like it’s pay back time for those friends she’s given a helping hand to over the past few years…


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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