A GOGGLEBOX star has continued to appear on the show despite being on leave for stress from his taxpayer-funded NHS role.
Sid Siddiqui, 80, is currently signed off from the well-paid gig for mental health reasons while still starring in the hit Channel 4 series.
The Siddiquis in Derby – (L-R) Baasit, Raza and Sid[/caption]
Siddiqui’s colleagues have hit out at the NHS employee[/caption]
The pensioner is currently absent from his job at the Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Trust as a health service environmental manager.
He worked three days a week in the role according to MailOnline.
The Trust have reportedly given the pensioner permission to continue with the show which he has appeared on as a regular since 2013.
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson replied: “We’re unable to comment on the personal circumstances of any individual employee.”
But it’s left his NHS colleagues fuming while Siddiqui remains at home “on full pay”.
One frustrated insider revealed to the Mail that they had been “left to pick up the pieces”.
“We’re all under massive pressure at work – we’ve hardly got any staff and we’re doing everything we can to keep things going,” they said.
“We get home after a long day, put the telly on and there he is, laughing and joking on Gogglebox.”
They added that it feels like he’s “sat there with two fingers up at us”.
But sources are adamant that Siddiqui has done nothing wrong and received permission from both his doctor and the Trust to continue filming.
Siddiqui’s doctor and the trust both insist that there is no conflict between the filming of the Channel 4 show and his professional responsibilities.
Filming for the hit show takes place outside of his working hours and is good for his mental health, according to the NHS employee’s bosses.
It is thought Siddiqui along with his three sons, Umar, Raza and Baasit, are paid £4,500 a year to appear on the show.
Participants are usually filmed twice a week leading up to the broadcast of each episode.
Siddiqui is currently signed off from his three day a week role[/caption]
This is done so cast members can be captured reacting to new television and news events.
Mr Siddiqui’s recent TV appearances have reportedly caused some upset among his NHS colleagues.
And, according to his LinkedIn profile his role is focused on reducing the NHS Trust’s carbon footprint and implementing sustainability measures across sites serving more than a million people across Derbyshire.
The news comes after it was revealed by the Chartered Institute of Development that workers are now taking nearly two weeks off sick every year.
The organisation found that minor illnesses were the most common reason for short-term absences with mental health coming in a close second place.
The Sun has contacted Studio Lambert for comment.
The Siddiqui family have been appearing on the show since 2013[/caption]
