Scarlett Moffatt wants to ‘open people’s eyes’ to the reality of Tourette’s syndrome: ‘It’s actually an illness’-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro

Scarlett Moffatt says she wants to ‘open people’s eyes’ about Tourette’s syndrome as too many mistake the illness for being ‘humourous’.

The former Gogglebox star was appearing on Sunday Brunch via Zoom when she began to discuss her new programme about Tourette’s syndrome with hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer.

Britain’s Tourette’s Mystery will see Scarlett travel around the country to uncover potential causes of the condition.

Simon tells the 31-year-old that when the illness is brought up ‘it makes people snigger as you think it’s someone who uncontrollably swear’

‘It’s regarded as slightly comedic which is terrible,’ he adds.

Scarlett replies: ‘What people don’t realise is only 10% of people with Tourette’s have the verbal swearing one.

‘The first thing I ask someone with verbal tics is how do you want us to respond?’

Scarlett had Tourette’s syndrome as a child (Picture: PA)

Scarlett wants to raise awareness of Tourette’s syndrome (Picture: Brett Cove/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock)

Acknowledging that many people with that type of Tourette’s want people to ‘laugh’, otherwise they feel ‘segregated’, Scarlett says there is a ‘flipside.’

Stating that she wants to get across how the illness affects people, Scarlett explains that those with Tourette’s end up ‘drained and exhausted’ because they are ‘constantly moving and talking.’

‘I want to open people’s eyes [that] it’s actually an illness and not just the humourous side we see in the media,’ she adds.

Scarlett won I’m a Celeb (Picture: Rex)

Scarlett has made a Channel 4 documenatay (Picture: Instagram/@scarlettmoffatt )

The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! winner also spoke about her own experience of Tourette’s syndrome, saying she lived with the condition for a period when she was a child. 

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Opening up about it, Scarlett said she was ‘a bit scared’ to have been diagnosed with the illness, and felt as though she ‘wasn’t in control of my body.’

Scarlett also teased her Channel 4 documentary would not be her last, revealing she was in talks with programme makers about making more documentaries on other topics.

Britain’s Tourette’s Mystery will be broadcast on July 19.

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