Iconic Oompa Loompa from Willy Wonka Experience has completely transformed her life

It really is the strangest things that make you famous these days, and one woman knows that more than most, as she went viral for working at the infamous Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow.

Kirsty Paterson became the unfortunate meme associated with the event, which proved to be something of a disaster, after customers paid a fairly hefty fee for something that essentially became a world of pure imagination, since there was nothing there aside from a few Wonka-themed props and a few actors trying their best to work with what they’d been given.

While the organisers were quick to apologise online, disgruntled parents labelled it a shambles and an appalling 'waste of money', involving even the police in the matter.

For Kirsty, though, it was an incredibly tough time, as she was shafted by the organisers and took the brunt of the online criticism.

She previously opened up about the mental health struggles she had in the wake of the event, saying: "I just couldn't mentally deal with it, I had to switch off, and even when my phone was switched off, I couldn't switch off, and for me, it was the horrible comments - it was putting me down a dark hole at the time.

"I just got completely dehumanised. I was just getting used for advertisements everywhere. Merchandise was getting made about me. This was all within four days.

"And I turned my phone off because I actually mentally couldn't cope with it."

However, things are thankfully looking up for the Scot, as she's opened up about how a move to Australia has helped turn her life around.

Like many others in the UK, ditching the cold, rain, and terrible pay for a life of sunny beaches and better work-life balance on the Gold Coast has seen Kirsty completely transform her fortunes.

On her Instagram, Kirsty said: "My life has changed so much from this one bad event. What a year it has been. I hit America, I starred in a musical, and now I am about to release a documentary."

Kirsty featured in an Edinburgh Fringe festival musical about the Willy Wonka Experience, and has since taken on work on the other side of the world, where she can put her skills as a trained fire-breather to use.

However, the only downside is that she's yet to receive her full pay from the experience, which is perhaps no surprise when you consider how poorly it was organised.

She previously revealed: "We were supposed to get paid £500 for the two days. For a side gig and extra money, it's actually quite a good rate. I've not been fully paid. I was given £200 out of the £500 paycheck.

"After this happened, I had the Good Morning interview. I've done quite well getting jobs off of the back of it with various cameos."