To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Viewers Blast 'Racist' New Scarlett Moffatt Channel 4 Show British Tribe Next Door

Viewers Blast 'Racist' New Scarlett Moffatt Channel 4 Show British Tribe Next Door

It was branded 'grotesque' and 'ignorant'

Amelia Ward

Amelia Ward

New Channel 4 show The British Tribe Next Door has been branded 'racist' and 'grotesque' by viewers.

The first of the four part series saw reality 'star' Scarlett Moffatt and her family taken from the UK and put into a replica of their terraced house - in the middle of a remote Namibian village.

Their house had around 20,000 of their normal possessions in, as well as running water, and somehow WiFi, while they lived among the nomadic Himba tribe.

The family are then invited to participate in traditional activities, all while the tribe look on, watching the Moffatts live in relative luxury.

Scarlett showed the tribe round her 'home'.
Channel 4

Scarlett shows some of the tribeswomen around the house, with one of them commenting that she found it strange for one person to have so many possessions, saying: "Scarlett doesn't need that many things."

The Moffatts have their water trucked in while the women of the tribe walk 20 minutes in heat that rarely drops below 25°C in the daytime, even at the coldest time of the year.

At one point, Scarlett asks the tribe if anyone wants her crusts while they milk goats and eat porridge.

One of the tribesmen seems shocked at the need for so many material goods, saying: "We want livestock. What are we going to do with a house?"

Opinion was divided over the show, with many taking to Twitter to voice their opinions - most of which thought the show was unsympathetic and offensive to the tribespeople.

One user tweeted: "WTF is this?!? How on earth was this idea pitched?! And how did it get a green light?!?"

Another commented: "Absolutely gutter TV as Channel 4 start promoting The British Tribe Next Door culturally insulting and exploitative in the highest order. Building a house on this tribes land is bad enough then add a 'reality star' makes for grotesque TV!"

A third added: "The unbelievable ignorance of this British Tribe Next Door is absolutely astounding. They built a County Durham terraced house in the middle of their community. F***ing hell man."

The tribeswomen were shocked at how many clothes Scarlett owned.
Channel 4

Some thought the show was actually racist, with one Twitter user posting: "This is absolutely disgusting. It would be difficult to come up with a more racist premise for a TV show. Everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves."

But others were undecided, with some thinking it offered genuine insight into the difference between two polar opposite cultures.

One Twitter user wrote: "Can't decide if the British Tribe Next Door is offensive and the worst thing ever commissioned or genuinely interesting to see the difference in cultures and what we deem important."

Another thought it was great TV: "Wow - watching the ladies from the tribe walking up stairs on The Tribe Next Door, for the first time, has just blown my mind. Truly amazing to see. And don't get me started on the mirror scene. Truly fascinating."

The British Tribe Next Door airs on Channel 4 at 9.15pm on Tuesdays.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: TV and Film, Channel 4