A woman who was filmed crying in her pyjamas on Can’t Pay? We’ll Take It Away is suing Channel 5 for £100,000.
Neelam Zarghune, who was 19 when the 2017 episode was filmed, was left ‘humiliated’ after the broadcaster aired scenes of her in tears as she refused to let bailiffs enter her home. It’s believed the moment was watched by 1.5million people.
Officers had been called to her property after Neelam failed to pay parking fines of £1,700, which she claims were racked up by her then-boyfriend.
According to The Sun, her lawyers say footage from body cameras worn by bailiffs was used in the show without her consent.
The publication also reports that Neelam’s writ alleges she was deceived when footage from the bailiffs’ bodycams was passed to Channel 5.
It’s said the surreptitious film of her in her pyjamas was a ‘humiliating ordeal’.
Neelam, now 23, lodged a privacy claim against the Channel 5 programme, the production company and the bailiffs DCBL.
She’s demanding £100,000 in damages and wants the footage banned from being aired again.
Can’t Pay? We’ll Take It Away followed the work of High Court Enforcement Officers as they executed privately obtained High Court writs across England and Wales on behalf of private clients, on those who failed to make repayments on alleged debts or refused to vacate a property.
It first aired on Channel 5 in 2014 and ran for four years, spanning five seasons.
Several episodes of the programme had been assessed by broadcasting regulator Ofcom after complaints.
Channel 5 declined to comment when approached by Metro.co.uk.
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