Laura Carter, who appeared on Big Brother in 2016, has described the experience as 'toxic' and stated that the show left her 'broken.' She also expressed deep regret over her on-screen relationship with Marco Pierre White Jr., the son of celebrity chef Marco Pierre White.
Speaking on the podcast RESET The Pod, Carter detailed how her time on the reality show significantly affected her mental well-being. Her interactions with White Jr. on screen generated numerous complaints to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Carter referred to their intimate moments as "a regret that I have to live with for the rest of my life."
Carter contrasted the on-screen content of Big Brother with other reality programs like Geordie Shore and Love Island, suggesting that such behavior was accepted or even encouraged on those shows but was viewed differently on Big Brother. She noted that White Jr. had a fiancée outside the house, and he claimed to have a "have been given a 'hall pass' for the series."
She recounted disturbing exchanges, including White Jr. making explicit comments and requesting she strangle him. Carter stated she was "very, very upset" and questioned the necessity of broadcasting such scenes. She described the moments as not being overly explicit but acknowledged the camera's focus amplified the situation. Carter explained that after the lights went out and shutters closed in the bedroom, they were confined.
Carter felt she entered the show already perceived negatively and believed the events would provide further ammunition against her. "I wanted to jump off a cliff," she said, describing the impact as an "earthquake" that made her feel her "whole world had imploded." The hostile reception she received upon leaving the house, with the crowd booing, also contributed to her distress.
She broadened her criticism to reality television in general, labeling it a "toxic world."
Following her Big Brother appearance, Carter struggled with severe anxiety and social anxiety, fearing public judgment. She described herself as having become dangerously underweight, weighing approximately 40 kilograms (about 6.5 stone), to the point where her "skeletal frame" was visible.
Prior to Big Brother, Carter had garnered media attention for claims of a threesome with Justin Bieber. Professionally, her income plummeted from an estimated £40,000 per day for commercial work to having no earnings, eventually leading her to sign on for government benefits. She found a path to recovery and financial stability through the platform OnlyFans, stating it "saved my life" and led to significant monthly earnings shortly after her period of receiving benefits.
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