I lost my belongings after bankruptcy woes, says Gail Porter

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Blog post went live at 09:32 BST on 28th August 2024 and was last updated at 10:14 BST on the same day.

Gail Porter shared that she lost everything during her struggles with bankruptcy and homelessness.

The 53-year-old TV personality from Scotland was announced bankrupt in 2017 and has since become a supporter of the Fair Credit Charity. This organization helps individuals in financial difficulties by providing community-based loans.

Gail talked about the charity on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday. She said that she became homeless when she lost TV jobs because of her alopecia. Gail ended up sleeping outside on Hampstead Heath.

She mentioned that she had to store her things, but couldn't retrieve them because she couldn't pay.

I like to watch the show Storage Wars, just in case I spot my belongings on TV,' the reality TV star stated.

Gail Porter shared on Good Morning Britain this week that she lost everything she owned and had to spend the night in a park in London due to her financial difficulties.

"I like to watch Storage Wars because I want to see if any of my belongings appear on the show," said the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant (shown in the photo from 2015).

Gail has been collaborating with the non-profit organization to support individuals living in poverty by demonstrating that there are individuals who are willing to assist them in obtaining necessary items like washing machines and refrigerators. She emphasized the importance of this assistance, as it was a significant benefit for her when she had no place to store her food.

Gail warned against turning to loan sharks for money because it can lead to more trouble.

I have faced situations where people have come to my door demanding repayment, and it can be very intimidating when two imposing men are standing outside, especially when I am living by myself and have nothing to offer.

He told me he was going to borrow my car, and I replied with "go for it." He was surprised by how relaxed I was about it. I explained that it wasn't even my car, so I didn't know whose it was.

They were only talking about stealing things, but I didn't have anything valuable for them to steal.

Gail shared: "I made a foolish mistake. I would receive bills but instead of addressing them, I would simply stash them under my pillow without even opening them."

After Gail realized how much she owed, she admitted that she was surviving on only £200 per month, once her rent for her apartment in North West London was paid.

In 2005, Gail, a person with alopecia who became famous on TV shows like Blue Peter, Top Of The Pops, and Live & Kicking, lost all her hair. As a result, she noticed that her job opportunities decreased significantly, leading to her expenses being higher than her earnings.

In 2017, the 53-year-old television personality from Scotland was declared bankrupt. Now, she is a supporter of the Fair Credit Charity, an organization that helps people in need by providing loans within the community.

Gail went on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday to talk about the charity. She shared that she became homeless because of her money problems, and had to sleep outside on Hampstead Heath.

She mentioned being coerced into storing all her possessions, but she never retrieved them because she couldn't afford the fees.

In 2017, when she was interviewed by Closer magazine, she stated that the television industry is focused on appearances and having a particular look is important.

Honestly, I don't consider myself to be attractive and I am bald. Although I may receive job offers occasionally, the opportunities often dry up quickly.

She mentioned that being committed under the Mental Health Act in 2011 was the starting point for her financial difficulties because she was unemployed and could not afford to pay her expenses.

I escaped from it all and things only got more difficult. They were not massive bills.

In 2005, Gail, who has alopecia, lost all of her hair. She became well-known from appearing on shows like Blue Peter, Top Of The Pops, and Live & Kicking. Unfortunately, after losing her hair, she found that her job opportunities decreased quickly. This led to her spending more money than she was earning.

In a conversation with Closer magazine in 2017, Gail (shown in the photograph from 2005) stated: 'Television is a visual field and they expect a specific appearance from you'.

When inquired about rumors that she had slept on a bench in the park, Gail responded: 'That happened a long time ago. I didn't have enough money for a place to stay, so I ended up on Hampstead Heath.'

"I never told my daughter Honey about it when she was younger. She's 14 now and aware of everything. I kept my feelings to myself for a long time."

Gail recently shared that she has been struggling financially since 2014.