Judi Love recalls running out of money for electricity while she was on set filming

Comedian Judi Love has revealed that debt issues meant the electricity stopped working in her house while she was on set filming a show a few years ago.

The Loose Women panellist was speaking about debt and ‘buy now, pay later’ schemes with her co-hosts Ruth Langsford, Brenda Edwards and Jane Moore on the show when she made the admission, speaking about the ‘shame’ she felt at the time.

The Strictly Come Dancing star said: ‘Having debt is such a hard thing, it really contributes to people’s mental health and how they’re feeling. I’ve had those situations and I think you have shame that’s associated with debt.’

When Ruth asked her how bad things had got for her, the 41-year-old shared that the electricity had cut out at her house while she was on set filming for a project because she was struggling financially due to debt.

She explained: ‘I remember one time I was working; I was filming something maybe five or six years ago, [and] my babysitter was at home. I was on set and trying to ‘be there’ and then she phoned me, and she was like, “Judes, the electric’s run out.”’

Judi explained that she was working that day with someone ‘well known in the industry’, who realised something was wrong and took her to one side to see what the problem was.

The star spoke about the shame she felt for being in debt (Picture: ITV)

The unnamed TV star thought she needed an electrician calling out rather than realising she was lacking money for her pay-as-you-go meter and Judi continued: ‘In that moment it was the [feeling of] shame, because I wasn’t in debt because I was buying designer handbags – I was just living, trying to support kids.’

However, Judi was met with kindness form her colleague when she explained the situation, with him helping her out on the spot in an act that changed the way she now thinks about debt.

‘I just said, “No, it’s the key, the electric key, and I’ve got it here.” And this person, he knows who he is, topped it up and sent it with a courier all the way to the house, and the emotion that took me…

‘I thought to myself from that day that it’s not about shame, we don’t know people’s individual circumstances.’

More: Loose Women

Judi is mum to two children, a son, 11, and a 16-year-old daughter.

After a full 2021, which saw the Loose Women star join Strictly and crowned winner of the first Celebrity MasterChef Christmas special, the comic is set to continue her busy streak into 2022, having been unveiled as a member of the Taskmaster cast for series 12.

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.

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