Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CHARITY BACKLASH
Donors turned off by celebs paid big money to promote good causes
MORE than two-thirds of people would not donate to a charity that had paid a celebrity to promote it.
Four-fifths of adults believe that stars should never be paid for charity work while three-quarters would think less of them for taking any payment.
The findings will be shown in Channel 4’s Dispatches programme Celebs for Sale: The Great Charity Scandal, which discovered some stars are charging huge fees to be seen to support a charity.
The tip-off came from a fundraiser who contacted a booking agent. One British Hollywood star was offered for £60,000 to appear at a ball, and £200,000 to be filmed on a “fact-finding” trip.
To test this, the show set up a sting in which Harry Redknapp and Caitlyn Jenner pocketed money to promote a bogus charity set up by the programme.
Investigators approached booking agents after setting up Cleaning Up Plastic Pollution in Africa (CUPPA). Agency MN2S said ex-football manager
Redknapp would post on Instagram for £15,000 and do a photoshoot for £5,000.
A snap of the 73-year-old star in a CUPPA cap and T-shirt was posted, saying: “I’m proud to support CUPPA.”
His lawyer said he only agreed to payment after being told the charity was supported by private investors. MN2S received £19,500 for a photoshoot and post with reality star Jenner, 70. Her lawyer said: “Apart from this, she has never been paid for charitable work and intended to donate the money to charities.” Celebs for Sale: The Great Charity Scandal is on Channel 4, 8pm.