The Cheeky Girls have one piece of advice to anyone considering applying to go on a reality show "don’t do it".
The twin sisters – Gabriela and Monica Irimia – shot to fame in 2002 when they appeared on talent show ‘Popstars: The Rivals’ and their subsequent single ‘Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)’ was a number two hit in the UK.
The duo released more music, made more television appearances and still perform live now they are bitter about their experience claiming they’ve been ripped off by their now-defunct record company Telstar Records and were not given any advice to prepare them for fame.
In an interview with The Sun Online, Monica said: "Unfortunately Telstar is swallowing our income, even today. We don’t receive royalties. The Telstar bad boys are still taking everything from the first songs and the album. It’s a sad story, our story, but we earn a decent income from our gigs and these days we are busier than ever.
"Our advice to whoever tries to go on a reality show: don’t do it. We grew up on stage from the age of three and even so, it hit us hard. The fame is just a dream for many and unfortunately I must say we had no preparation whatsoever from the TV bosses or our label. They were only interested in making money from us. The artist is just a commodity used by many organisations to generate quick money."
Gabriela agrees with her sibling and she is never shocked to see news of former reality stars having problems with fame or struggling to adjust to life once the showbiz job offers dry up.
Gabriela – who will be joining her sister for their Cheeky Summer Party gig at London’s Clapham Grand on Friday (06.09.19) – said: "Reality shows are good for the viewers, not for those who are in it. Anybody who wants to try to go on one should remember this – it is not as glamorous as you would think. It can make you an overnight celebrity, but it can destroy your life as well. It is really hard to keep your feet on the ground because it takes over your life and most of the people can’t handle that. They are not prepared for it."
The Cheeky Girls issue reality show warning
