Channel 4’s latest reality series has been met with serious concern over the programme.
The action-packed show hosted by actor , sees eight celebrities spend eight days living in pitch black darkness while being constantly filmed. The group must participate in challenges in order to, and win meals or treats.
In order to leave ‘The Bunker’ in I’m A Celebrity style, the celebrities must shout, ‘I’m Scared of The Dark.’ At this point, they are escorted into the light.
, Chris Eubank, Paul Gascoigne, , Chris McCausland, Donna Preston, Max George and Nicola Adams are contestants on the current series.
Although the experiment is a ‘world first’ experts have hailed the show ‘potentially quite damaging.’
During tonight’s episode, boxing legend if his son’s [Sebastian] death was recent.
‘It’s always going to be recent,’ said the boxing legend.
‘My son Sebastian is much more than I could ever explain to you.
‘The tragedy of losing a son who’s 29, imagine crying that hard, and then months later being grateful that you cried that hard for your son. It wasn’t one tear, it was an ocean.’
Although the broadcaster stressed there are ‘extensive welfare measures in place throughout filming, psychotherapist Lucy Beresford told : ‘It starts to make things up, starts to say there is something out there that might harm or hurt you.’
‘You might start to behave like a child, becoming more tearful, more unstable and insecure, which of course from a TV perspective that’s TV gold, but if you’re in it that can start to trigger some dark thoughts, why I think is Chris Eubank had the experience he did.’
A Channel 4 spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘All contributors underwent a rigorous mental health screening before being cleared to take part in the show, while extensive welfare measures were in place throughout filming. Cast members were constantly monitored by a mental health practitioner to ensure their wellbeing, with support available to them before, during and after filming.’
Sunday’s debut saw former after failing to get through the first task.
‘That was so horrid,’ she said while she was in the Vault.
‘I’m scared of the dark and the unknown and she said ‘you’re not alone’ and not knowing what was coming got me panicked and I couldn’t move and I couldn’t breathe.
‘I don’t know what to do.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Channel 4 for comment.
Scared of the Dark returns tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.
