The current affairs documentary set up a fake cosmetics firm Puttana Aziendale – which translates from Italian as "corporate whore" – to sting the TV stars at an event called Celebrity Retreat in a Manchester hotel.
It is understood that Coronation Street actors feature heavily in the current version of the programme despite the legal threats, which were made after a number of "right to reply" letters were sent to individuals who appear in the film.
The one-hour Dispatches film, Celebs, Brands and Fake Fans, will be shown tonight - Monday 5 August - on Channel 4 at 8pm.
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6 comments:
This really is a massive non-story. Celebrities take free gifts that are offered to them and tweet thanks? It's not like Sophie Webster is turning to the camera, pointing at her earrings and saying "BUY THESE!"
Remember when Dispatches did proper, investigative journalism about genocide and things?
I just find it hilarious and almost sad that none of these "celebrities" or their agents were savvy or bright enough to know what Puttana meant???!!
Honestly after everything else that's happened, Corrie does NOT need this. I hope ITV goes ahead with the legal action.
From what I remember of the newspaper article, Corrie celebrities were thanking the companies involved and looking forward to the promised benefits. Surely they are all warned by Corrie management how to behave before they deal with companies. It would be really stupid if some of them had said 'I've been using xxx for years ...' and hopefully no-one's done this. As for celebrities wrangling to get the best freebies, that's life, isn't it?
Publicity stunt.
"Celebrities tweet thanks for free gift" is on a par with the infamous "Pop Tarts get hot" item. The programme was on stronger ground with those celebs who tweeted exactly what the company wanted them to say, but even then I think the real point is why do people follow and take notice of celebs? I wouldn't have accepted the "healing" bracelet even as a free gift, let alone asked for one for a friend or tweeted about it.
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