Scarlette Douglas: Struggling as a Black TV Woman

Scarlette Douglas has said she 'can never win' as she opened up about the difficulties of being a black woman in TV.

The presenter and property guru, 39, became best known for presenting and later took part in in 2022, when she was voted out second.

She previously pointed out black contestants are frequently eliminated first from reality television shows because of unconscious bias,

Now, in a new interview with the Daily Mail, Scarlette candidly opened up about her own experience of working in the TV industry as a women of colour. 

She said: 'I think my parents have always said, "you're gonna have to work twice as hard in this country," and I've felt it.

'I've always felt that I've walked into a room, and instantly, there's that kind of air of, "oh, they're not gonna be that good, or, or she's not what we're looking for".'

She continued: 'And then, when you do deliver, and you do show that you do have the skill set.

'And you do have the education, and you do have the correct mind mentality, then you start to see how people can shift and change.

'You know, it's so frustrating, but ultimately, that's what's given me my work ethic, and that's why I've got to where I've got to in my career, because I have worked hard, and I don't take no for an answer, and I will keep pushing, because I understand that.

'Yeah, I have to work twice as hard because I'm wanted twice as less.

'It's a sad reality, but unfortunately, that's the world that we live in, when you're a minority in a country.'

Sharing her perspective on how black women 'can never win' when they speak out about things, she explained: 'Basically, it's really difficult, if we look at Hispanics, if they get really angry, 'oh, they're fiery,' you know, it's part of their personality, they're fiery.

'But yeah, if you're a black woman, if you speak up, 'she's an angry black woman,' or, 'oh, she's got a chip on her shoulder,' 

'So when can I say something?'

Scarlette went on to explain that she believes there's always negative connotations around speaking about race and that at times she's felt it's difficult to say what she really wants as she doesn't want to create drama around it. 

Opening up about using her voice to raise issues on the topic, she said: 'I have to think about how I say it, because I don't want it to come across in a certain way.

'Whereas really, I just want to be able to say what I can say and not be, not get the backlash, but people just listen.

'All I ever want is for people to listen, and that's not just me, that is so many other people of colour that I've spoken to in the industry, it's across the board.

'Some people, we're never gonna get through to them, that's fine, I don't need to get through to you.

'All I need to do is get a conversation started so that people can actually try and understand someone else's perspective on life.

'I think back in the day I would have been too scared to speak up, and now I'm very much like, no, I've, I've got a voice, I have a platform, and if I don't use it, what's the point of me even having it, or, or being in the limelight, because it's all about trying to make a positive change and make a difference.'

She continued: 'Being black in the industry, we are finding our voices a lot more, and we are more confident to talk about it.

'I think it's then the others are maybe feeling a bit uncomfortable, but they're addressing it, and they're facing it, and they're showing up to it, and I think that's really important as well.'

Elsewhere, property expert Scarlette has revealed the steps to tackle your domestic to-do list. 

She is working with Smart Energy GB to encourage Brits to get their appointment booked in straight away if they hear from their energy supplier about switching out their older smart meter hardware for new kit.

The TV star said: 'It's completely natural to feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day demands of running a household.

'When our minds are full, it's easy for less urgent tasks to slip down the list, adding to the invisible mental load we all carry.

'One way to manage this is to tackle small tasks as soon as you can - even simple actions, like booking an appointment, can give a sense of relief and make you feel lighter mentally once it's done.

'That's why, when your supplier contacts you about switching out your older smart meter hardware for new kit, it's worth acting straight away.

'One quick engineer visit will ensure you keep your automated readings, accurate bills, and access to flexible schemes and tariffs.'

A Smart Energy GB spokesperson added: 'It's natural to have lots of things to touch up or repair in your home, but as the list gets longer it can become overwhelming.

'Once we begin chipping away at our tasks we often feel lighter, and as our research shows, it's often easier than we expect.'