Sandra Martin, who shot to fame on Gogglebox, has admitted she’s ‘glad’ to be back on benefits
Former Gogglebox star Sandra Martin has confessed that she “prefers” life on benefits, stating it’s less stressful.
The 55-year-old telly favourite, who rose to fame alongside her best mate Sandi Bogle on the popular Channel 4 show, revealed she had to sign back on in February 2018 after her TV earnings dwindled.
Despite having credits from reality series 100 Years Younger in 21 Days and various chat show appearances, Sandra admitted the work was short-lived.
After leaving Gogglebox in 2017, she splurged the last of her earnings on a hotel stay. By Christmas of the same year, she confessed to being “homeless and penniless”, struggling to make ends meet.
In 2018, Sandra told The Sun: “I went back to the job centre and shouted, ‘Hello! I’m home!’ I was on benefits for 35 years before I went on Gogglebox. I’m glad I’m back on social. I loved Gogglebox, but it was stressful because I couldn’t talk as much as I wanted, when I wanted.”
Now, she says she feels more comfortable living on handouts than pursuing TV fame, despite critics highlighting her frequent posts about jetting off on holidays, reports the Express.
Sandra added, “I turned to benefits when the money ran out. It’s less stressful. I feel like myself again.”
In January of this year, Sandra faced further criticism after refusing to sit in a plane’s middle seat because she claimed to be a “celebrity.” The former fan-favourite expressed her displeasure at being allocated the middle seat on social media.
Sandra caused a stir on a Ryanair flight when she refused to sit between two passengers. She shared a video from inside the plane’s cabin, standing in the aisle in protest.
She told her followers: “There’s no person there, I’m not showing your face and there’s one person there and they want me to sit there. No, I’m a celebrity… I’m Sandra Gogglebox. I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!”
“I cannot sit in that spot. No, I can’t breathe, I’m gonna faint, I’m gonna fart.”
Sandra said she was waiting until boarding was finished to see if there was a spare alternative seat.
In a kind gesture, her neighbour eventually agreed to swap places, and Sandra took the aisle seat for the flight.