TV PAIN: THE STORY of Gogglebox star Sandra Martin left ‘PENNILESS’ and HOMELESS, preferring to live on benefits

Former Gogglebox favourite Sandra Martin has admitted she “prefers” life on benefits and admitted life was less stressful. The 55-year-old, who shot to fame alongside best mate Sandi Bogle on the hit Channel 4 sofa show, revealed she was forced to sign back on in February of 2018 after cash from her TV work dried up. Her credits included reality series 100 Years Younger in 21 Days and various chat show appearances, but Sandra said the work never lasted.

After quitting Gogglebox in 2017, she moved into a hotel to spend the last of her earnings. By Christmas of that year, she confessed she was “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 at ease living on handouts than chasing TV fame despite critics pointing out her frequent posts about jetting off on holidays.

Sandra added: “I turned to benefits when the money ran out. It’s less stressful. I feel like myself again.”

Back in January of this year, Sandra faced further backlash after refusing to sit in a plane’s middle seat because she claimed to be a “celebrity”. The former fan-favourite took to social media to share her displeasure at being allocated the middle seat.

Travelling on a Ryanair flight when she discovered she would be sitting between two other passengers, Sandra shared a video from inside the plane’s cabin as she stood in the aisle in protest.

She told fans: “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 told fans 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. However, fans were left furious and flooded the former Channel 4 star with comments, as one wrote: “Who told you that you’re a celebrity?”