Showbizs Biggest Freeloaders Exposed!

These days, being rich and famous often isn’t enough for celebrities. Instead, they’re after the freebies that come with having a large fanbase.

The opportunities are plentiful. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok allow even minor stars to promote brands in exchange for free products or experiences.

Last week, the Daily Mail revealed the jaw-dropping string of freebies accepted by Made In Chelsea stars Ollie Locke and his husband Gareth. They included a top-of-the-range cruise to the Caribbean, designer Harley Street dermatology treatments, expensive skincare products, champagne afternoon teas and even free VIP seats at the BRIT awards.

The Lockes are not alone. Far from it. There are hundreds of other ‘liggers’ – the industry term for freeloaders or cheapskates.

So here is my list of the biggest liggers in showbusiness…

Mark Wright, 39, reality TV star, and Michelle Keegan, 38, actress

Husband and wife Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan are said to have afforded their £1.6 million Essex mansion largely from PR deals

First are showbusiness royalty Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright. She, a Hollywood actress, and he, a reality star, have a combined net worth of £19 million – yet seem unable to resist a freebie.

Recently they accepted a £1,350 ceiling light in return for an Instagram post, when they could easily have bought it themselves.

Insiders say they ‘can’t resist’ saving a quick buck. Much of their £1.6 million Essex mansion was built on PR deals.

On his interiors Instagram page, @wrightyhome, Mark has posted #ads for a Samsung TV, a £5,500 sofa, a £3,400 marble dining table, six chairs worth £2,700 and more.

‘They are pretty shameless when it comes to the house, but have gone past the point of caring because they wanted the best house they could get,’ my insider tells me. ‘But one thing they don’t like is people criticising them for taking free holidays.’

The 38-year-olds travelled to Abu Dhabi with their ten-month-old daughter Palma earlier this year and stayed at the £2,000-a-night Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island hotel free of charge. They were reportedly shocked by the backlash, with critics suggesting it looked out of touch.

‘They genuinely did believe they deserved that holiday. For them, it’s not a perk of being in the public eye, it’s a necessity. They think they work harder than everyone else.’

Douglas Booth, 33, actor, and Bel Powley, 33, actress

Thought to be worth a combined £12 million, couple Bel Powley and Douglas Booth still seem unable to resist a 'shameless freebie'. Even their honeymoon was thought to be a PR stay

A surprising entry, but the rate at which these Hollywood actors accept free products is remarkable.

Known for his role in The Riot Club, Booth – worth £7 million – married fellow actress, Bel Powley, who starred in the Morning Show and is herself worth a cool £5 million.

The pair tied the knot in 2023 but due to busy work schedules, the not-so-newlyweds only managed to celebrate their honeymoon earlier this week with a lavish trip to the Maldives. They stayed at the £5,000-a-night luxury resort, Soneva, presumably for free, in return for tagging it on their Instagram pages.

‘They’ll be embarrassed about how this makes them look,’ an industry source told me, ‘But just goes to show, no one is impartial to a shameless freebie, no matter how highbrow you consider yourself in this industry.’

Stacey Solomon, 36, TV personality and singer

Stacey Solomon decorated her entire house for Halloween using her own range of Asda products. Here she is pictured in an advert for her spring-summer homeware collection 

Courtesy of a big-money deal with Amazon, Stacey’s Instagram is brimming with adverts for a wide variety of items – from Levi jeans to L’Oreal hair and make up products as well as facemasks, sofa covers, bath jets and false eyelashes.

Luckily for Stacey, she keeps a free version of everything she promotes.

Meanwhile her home, Pickle Cottage in Dagenham, east London, which she shares with husband Joe Swash and their blended family, is ready for all occasions. For Halloween, Stacey decorated the whole house - in goodies from her own Asda range!

Ryan Thomas, 41, former actor turned influencer

Former Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, pictured with wife Lucy Mecklenburgh, often shows off his free gifts on Instagram and is said to love 'the high life'

Now that he’s left the cobbles, freebies are an essential for former Coronation Street actor Ryan. 

Whether it’s free Lego for his kids, a Phillips steamer to get the creases out of his clothes or an AirUp water bottle, he posts his gifts on Instagram and urges others to pay for theirs.

‘Ryan is savvy guy,’ says a friend. ‘He loves the high life and will do so as much as he can.’

He and his wife, The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh also enjoy a number of idyllic holidays with their children, often tagging the companies behind them – a sure sign that they are getting some ‘help’ with the cost. Recently they enjoyed a trip to the luxurious Country House Cumbria, a visit to the Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay and a stay at the Hyde hotel in Ibiza.

Maura Higgins, 35, reality TV star

Reality TV star Maura Higgins was granted free VIP access to Coachella - a major music festival in California, known for its astronomical ticket prices

After a major rebrand and appearances at various red carpets and galas, I’m sure Maura would consider herself an A-lister these days.

But if she really wants to fit in among the Hollywood elite, Maura must give up her penchant for receiving gifts.

This might be hard for the 35-year-old, who started her career on reality dating show Love Island. Last year alone she got a £1,000 VIP access ticket to Coachella, a birthday trip to Dubai on a luxury yacht from a company that hires out boats for £81,000 a day, and a trip to Mykonos, where a villa would set you back a staggering £5,000 a week.

Denise van Outen, 51, actress and presenter

As well as being given a free holiday to Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, Denise van Outen recently kitted out her flat with a wide variety of PR gifted items – from furniture to kitchenware

Once one of Britain’s most sought after television presenters, Denise has now got quite the reputation for enjoying lavish freebies. 

Only last October she was gifted a holiday by British Airways to Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, where rooms cost up to $739 (£565).

There, she and her daughter Betsy, 15, explored several theme parks during their trip as well as the Volcano Bay water park.

She recently kitted out her London flat with an array of PR gifted items, including a Caple wine cooler, which retail at £2,100 and a Sofology sofa thought to be worth £1,500. She also enjoys free beauty products including a full glow set from Korean skincare brand Yepoda, worth £111 which she boasted about to her 760,000 Instagram followers.

‘Denise is plugged in to some of the best gifters out there,’ says my snitch. ‘She lives the dream, and much of it for free. It’s all a bit cringe though, she used to be a superstar.’

Millie Mackintosh, 36, influencer and former reality TV star

Despite her privileged upbringing – as a member of the Quality Street dynasty and a star of TV show Made In Chelsea – Millie Mackintosh is just as keen on freebies as the rest

Despite her privileged Made In Chelsea beginnings, Millie appears just as fond of a well-timed freebie as the rest – regularly sharing a stream of gifted luxury trips and high-end experiences with her 1.3 million online followers.

Among the lavish getaways she has showcased was a stay at Turkey’s Hillside Beach Club, where rooms go for around £1,300 a night, complete with all-inclusive dining, multiple restaurants and two spas.

As a descendant of the famous Quality Street chocolate makers, insiders claim Millie’s acceptance of freebies is ‘all a bit gross’.

That didn’t stop her enjoying a ‘half term trip to Turkey’ after her divorce from her Made In Chelsea co-star Hugo Taylor at the ultra-luxury XO Cape Arnna, which has 37 swimming pools and can cost up to £3,250.

Closer to home, Millie also posted on Instagram about a complimentary staycation at the Four Seasons in London, as well as a trip to Ibiza’s Alma Festival – both priced at around £1,000 per night.

Pete Wicks, 37, reality TV star

Pete Wicks (right) followed his friend Sam Thompson (left) to Australia for I'm A Celeb, meaning he could enjoy a free Gold Coast holiday at the luxurious Marriott Hotel

Before he made the transition last year from Towie reality TV star to Strictly runner-up and podcaster ‘extraordinaire’, 37-year-old Pete was momentarily a ‘nobody’. 

When his Staying Relevant podcast co-host Sam Thompson flew to Australia for I’m A Celeb in 2023, Pete followed and enjoyed a free Gold Coast holiday.

Despite Sam being crowned King of the Jungle that year, the real winner was Pete, who got both a taste of prime-time TV when he greeted Sam on his exit from the jungle – and a free holiday.

I was there watching first-hand as Pete sipped on cocktails in the Marriott Hotel pool as his friend Sam did all the hard work, sleeping among critters for two weeks.

Lauren Goodger, 39, reality TV star

Former Towie star Lauren Goodger has accepted a string of freebies, including make-up products, cosmetic treatments, curtains, a king-sized bed and a spa trip

Former Towie star Lauren Goodger has amassed a steady stream of freebies from beauty products to home upgrades, all of which she regularly flaunts to her one million Instagram followers.

She has showcased L’Oreal cosmetics, Space NK skincare including Eve Lom, Tatcha, Caudalie and La Mer, cosmetic treatments, a hair refresh and even a king-sized bed for her daughter.

The perks go far beyond beauty. Lauren has also documented receiving gifted cosmetic treatments, including mole removal and a fresh hair touch-up and blow-dry, while her daughter was gifted a king-sized bed from Top Notch Furniture. Lauren also revealed she had been gifted blackout blinds and curtains for her home.

Her social media posts also show that she was treated to a complimentary trip to Champneys Spa and a stay at the four-star Greenwoods Hotel, where rooms cost around £280 a night.

Binky Felstead, 35, reality TV star

One source who knows Binky Felstead, pictured at Ascot Racecourse, says of her lavish London home: 'She is thrilled at what her house looks like and quite a lot of it was free'

Like Millie, Binky was one of the privileged Made In Chelsea set – but that hasn’t stopped her from accepting her own freebies.

Just two weeks ago, she was handed a free stay at the five star Lowell Hotel on New York’s Upper East Side with her husband.

Among other enviable perks, she visited the private members' hotel The Boca Raton in Florida for a ‘child free’ break too.

And when it came to decking out her palatial home in South West London, the reality star was gifted a raft of furniture and accessories including a headboard and rug for her bedroom from OKA interiors. As an ambassador for Marks and Spencer, Binky also shows off her free food and clothing in numerous Instagram posts.

‘Binky has managed to make a lovely life for herself on social media,’ says one source who knows her. ‘She is thrilled at what her house looks like and a lot of it was free. Nice work if you can get it but, well, it’s all quite unseemly.’