A fitness influencer has been slammed on social media, after she defended her trip to Dubai during lockdown.
During an appearance on ITV’s This Morning, Sheridan Mordew said she flew to the UAE for “work” earlier this month, to create content for her 13k followers on Instagram.
The 24-year-old jetted to Dubai on January 1st, the day her home in Sunderland entered Tier 4 restrictions.
At the start of her interview, Holly Willoughby asked: “Is it essential for you to do this in Dubai and where you are rather than here in England?”
Sheridan, who was filmed sitting by a pool, replied: “So, the reason why I came out to Dubai was purely for business.”
“Like I said, I’m a personal trainer, lots of the gyms are closed, everything was in Tiers, so I took my online business over to Dubai and now I do things in my apartment.”
Phillip Schofield said: “A lot of this fitness stuff could be in your garage in Bolton. You don’t have to be in Dubai.”
The 24-year-old replied: “The main reason was for my own self and mental health, obviously during the second lockdown I was really struggling.”
“Being a motivator myself, a lot of my clients depend on me to bring their motivation, their happiness up… I thought I can’t be bothered, and I thought the only way I was going to get out of it was by finding a way for essential travel and getting out to Dubai.”
“I’m not hurting anybody, I’m creating jobs, helping people’s mental health, I’m following the guidelines.”
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Sheridan concluded her interview by saying: “In a world where you can be anything be kind, and I think a lot of people forget about that.”
But Holly hit back: “You’re saying be kind, but are you being kind to them by encouraging others to travel for what you deem as essential work?”
Sheridan claimed she’s not encouraging others to come out to Dubai, and Phil quipped: “Oh, that makes me feel better!”
After a video of her interview was shared online, Sheridan was slammed on social media, as people pointed out her Dubai content is “anything but motivating”.
So Sheridan Mordew says she’s an influencer on 11.5k followers on insta. I’ve got 11.5k followers on insta but my job as an ESSENTIAL KEY WORKER as a Manager in a supermarket is more impressive than riding camels in Dubai!!! #thismorning
— Ella Walton (@ellagracewalton) January 26, 2021
I’m so glad she’s inspired me, I was gunna watch box sets all day but now I’ve decided to ride me camel to Tesco https://t.co/jTnS3tHgqE
— sharon mitchells toxic weave (@sharon_weave) January 26, 2021
i think ur 11k followers could live without seeing videos of you on a camel love
so. fucking. ignorant. https://t.co/JPUhSyapIK
— lola☁️ (@lolamaryfallon) January 26, 2021
You can motivate people from home ? Seeing people in Dubai is anything BUT motivating 😴 https://t.co/cGcBrIwFkt
— MADS (@maddiewatson6) January 26, 2021
This influencer trying to justify going to Dubai to film workout videos in her flat and posing in a bikini by the pool on #ThisMorning is a joke. Pulling the mental health card as if none of the rest of the UK isn’t also struggling. The level of self absorbed arrogance is beyond
— Jack Hardwick (@jackhardwick93) January 26, 2021
I am screaming at the telly watching this influencer trying to justify her trip to Dubai as essential travel. Please don’t be influenced by here. Phil and Holly doing a great job holding back their outrage. #ThisMorning
— Les Dennis (@LesDennis) January 26, 2021
Please, hear me loud when I say seeing some ‘influencer’ on a sun bed in Dubai is not making me feel motivated or better, infact it makes me feel so much worse #thismorning
— Josie Holloway ♥ (@JosieHolloway_x) January 26, 2021
Girl on @itv ThisMorning said being a influencer, she’s key worker motivating people😂 Sitting on a Rich blokes yacht drinking pornstars with Lip Filler helmets is really motivating! Slap in face to the real Heros in U.K like the nurses an doctors who risk their life every day!
— Thomas Skinner ⚒ (@iamtomskinner) January 26, 2021