02 November 2023 , 09:34
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Big Brother contestant Kerry Riches has stood her ground after she was slammed by ITV viewers for moaning about being in the higher tax bracket while working as a manager for the NHS.
Earlier this month, Kerry, 40, who became the fourth housemate to be evicted from the show, was heavily slammed for the 'tone deaf' comments she made about her NHS salary as she complained about having to pay a higher tax bracket. Kerry, who works as the Head of Patient Experience in Essex, is reportedly earning between, £58,972 and £81,138 a year. During a discussion about tax bands while she was still in the house, Kerry was shocked when she found out about some of the housemate's struggles.
Her fellow housemate Jenkin said he got just £250 a month in benefit payments while he was looking for work. And so Kerry said: "That’s really shocked me what you just said. I really need to stop moaning paying a higher tax bracket, I don’t think it’s fair. I’m really proud of myself because it’s really hard in the NHS, but I begrudge paying the higher tax bracket massively."
ITV Big Brother star Kerry backtracks on controversial NHS salary comments (ITV2)And this made Zak jump in and join the discussion saying: "The average person in the UK makes £20,000 per year. If you’ve got £100k, you’re in the richest in the UK." Kerry, who narrowly missed being evicted from the Big Brother house last week after she was up for eviction against Farida, had appeared on Deal or No Deal sixteen years ago and won £35,000.
Following her controversial comments, Kerry has now insisted that she has no regrets about sharing her complaints about paying a higher tax bracket while working for the NHS. Speaking to Mail Online, the reality TV star said: "You forget there's cameras. I'm not in the higher higher bracket, like I work for the NHS are you joking me. I started about 21 years ago on £7,800 and I've now got to senior management. I'm proud to where I've got too and when I was asked, I'm okay to have that conversation."
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"You don't get given anything in the NHS, you work your way up and that's how you are respected. That's how you progress. I'm sorry if that's upset anybody, but I'd like to see people look through that because I'm a good person," she added.