Motherlode of leaked texts between C-list celebs and paparazzi exposes the desperate reality of ‘staged pap shots’

by

This week, Abby Chatfield drew attention by verifying gossips that she previously received money to guide photographers to her whereabouts, during her time in the spotlight as a D-list reality television personality.

Chatfield isn’t the only individual in the media world who covertly criticizes photographers; others share this bold stance as well.

This dubious publicity ploy runs rampant among those desperate for the spotlight.

Here are some embarrassing instances from within the industry where people like Pip Edwards have been exposed, or television personalities have begged for staged photographs, showcasing some of the more shameful behaviors.

In this section, we’ll look at a few examples of unprofessional conduct in the industry, such as when Pip Edwards was exposed by a young photographer, and instances where TV personalities asked for staged photos – these are just some of the more disgraceful incidents.

Pip Edwards

Back in December 2022, Pip Edwards found herself blushing when private messages surfaced, showing that she had coordinated her own paparazzi photo sessions.

In simpler terms, Instagram messages revealed that the P.E. Nation co-founder asked a Sydney photographer to take pictures of her outside her office in the eastern suburbs during July 2022, and also arranged similar spontaneous photos for two of her famous friends a year prior.

She even joked to the photographer that he’d made her look ‘wide’, ‘short’ and ‘stumpy’.

‘Please return to my office so I can provide you with a superior photo. I really mean it, let’s go. I want to offer you an improved one,’ (Edwards wrote to the photographer on July 28, 2022).

In response, the paparazzo said, “I’ll return if you wish,” then added, “You’re in charge.” To this, Edwards countered, “It’s reciprocal! It needs to benefit me as well.

In her subsequent communication, she informed the photographer that she was planning a stroll and assured him of a clear, unobstructed photograph.

Additional images revealed that Edwards expressed dissatisfaction, stating she appeared ‘broad’ and ‘short and stocky’ in previous photographs. Subsequently, she recommended that the photographer should capture better shots from a ‘diverse perspective’ for future occasions.

In the following weeks, I reached out personally to the same skilled photographer, requesting his assistance. Specifically, I asked him to capture candid photographs of my friends, Darren McMullen and Milly Gattegno, during their time at Bondi Beach.

In sync as a faithful observer, I found myself snapped by the paparazzi on the very same day alongside McMullen and Gattegno, outside the popular Japanese eatery, Raw Bar.

When Daily Mail reached out to Edwards, she maintained that she had never orchestrated a paparazzi scene. Instead, she pointed fingers at the photographer for releasing their private messages as payback, following his dismissal from a photoshoot several days prior.

She further explained that constant paparazzo photography eroded her self-confidence, leading to a decision to avoid the camera completely.

Cheryl Maitland

In June 2017, there was quite a commotion or uproar when a Sydney-based photographer alleged that Married at First Sight star Cheryl Maitland had faked her ‘genuine’ photographs taken by the paparazzi.

On Instagram, Jayden Seyfarth uploaded a sequence of messages showing her planning a contrived photoshoot session.

He captioned the exchange: ‘When they need to stay relevant.’

In a rather awkward turn of events, I’ve come clean about my discussions with Seyfarth regarding those contrived setups. You see, it was all stemming from my growing irritation towards the pushy paparazzi.

Seyfarth frequently checks in with me to find out my location, which is becoming quite bothersome. Moreover, I’m finding it irritating when paparazzi snap photos of me without prior notice, making me feel uneasy each day.

Seyfarth keeps messaging me for updates on my location, and it’s starting to get on my nerves. To make matters worse, I find it annoying when photographers take pictures of me unexpectedly, causing me daily anxiety.

‘I mentioned to him I would be in Melbourne and if he wanted to meet me there that was fine.

Knowing that the paparazzi will snap my photos regardless, being aware of this fact can help reduce my stress levels and lessen their persistent pursuit.

Skye Wheatley 

After publishing Maitland’s text messages, Seyfarth claimed that ex-Big Brother competitor Skye Wheatley had been deliberately setting up paparazzi shots for financial gain.

Seyfarth suggested a strained business connection, humorously commenting on a conversation with Skye by saying, “Let’s not deceive each other, laugh out loud.

It’s understood that the scene under consideration by Seyfarth and Wheatley might be connected to Seyfarth’s breast consultation at the Bondi Junction Private Hospital, which occurred in May 2016.

It seemed that the transaction indicated they reached a deal where they would share the earnings from selling the photos equally, at 50%, following Wheatley’s request for a share in the proceeds of the photographs.

The messages appeared to verify that Wheatley was indeed scheduled to visit Sydney for a ‘breast examination’, or simply put, Wheatley’s appointment in Sydney seems to be related to a breast-related consultation.

In an earlier interview with Daily Mail, Wheatley expressed confusion, stating: “I can’t fathom why he’d share that. It’s as if I’m Kim Kardashian to him.

We made plans for a photo shoot in Sydney months ago, and he agreed. Now, I can’t fathom why he’s still sharing that old conversation.

In addition, Wheatley claimed that Seyfarth failed to pay her promptly for several months following the publication of the photographs, and ignored her communication attempts.

When Seyfarth consented to compensate Wheatley, she asserted that he had accompanied a different photographer to record the meeting and intended to “position” or “arrange” her unfavorably.

‘She remarked, “Every tale has its double aspect; be wary of what you read. It’s heartbreaking to see super-celebrities grappling with such difficulties, though they are often much more severe.”‘

It seems like he’s attempting to potentially increase his visibility, or else there doesn’t appear to be a reason behind sharing it. I’m just not sure.

Let’s strive to uplift one another with kindness, avoiding any attempts to portray someone negatively or as a bad person.

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt

For many years, the popular reality TV personalities Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt have openly confessed that they arranged their own photo shoots with paparazzi.

2008 saw a notable incident when Heidi was captured weeping outside her apartment following the critical backlash against her first single, “Higher.

In dramatically framed images, Heidi held onto a CD labeled ‘Higher’, her face buried in her palm, conveying deep sadness or despair.

‘Speidi’ credit themselves as the inventors of the staged pap set.

Last year, Heidi openly discussed on a podcast that the team is well-known for their transparency regarding collaborating with paparazzi and arranging photoshoots, which they often refer to as ‘set-ups’.

The couple have previously accused the Kardashians of copying their tactics.

In 2021, I confidently assert that it’s clear to me they mimicked our arrangement with the paparazzi, using the exact same agency we had previously collaborated with. While they might not explicitly admit this, I can certainly express my belief in this matter.

Today signifies a decade since Heidi Montag started sharing photos of her emotional reactions to unfavorable criticisms about the ‘Higher’ music video.

— popculturediedin2009 (@pcd2009) February 19, 2018

‘They have the same partnership, they probably had a better end deal, but whatever.’

Heidi made clear that she and Spencer deliberately transformed their everyday experiences into newsworthy images, unlike others who just let things happen spontaneously.

She remarked that without paparazzi similar to ours, and the elaborate staging found in magazine-style beach bikini shots, most individuals would simply go to the beach and not stage or collaborate with a photographer for such photographs.

Elle Macpherson 

In January 2024, Elle Macpherson found herself in an awkward paparazzi moment outside Crown Sydney.

Although the 61-year-old supermodel didn’t plan for a press gathering, she kept going in and out of the hotel multiple times to ensure the photographers captured the perfect picture.

Photos revealed them walking side by side, holding hands, with their boyfriend Doyle Bramhall, under the watchful eyes of the cameras, going back and forth.

An onlooker filmed the bizarre back-and-forth. 

‘They did this cringe walking-in thing about 250 times – no exaggeration,’ he said.

Michael Turnbull

Back in May 2018, former Bachelorette star Michael Turnbull found himself in a pickle when text messages he exchanged with another reality TV personality, Alex Nation, were made public. These texts suggested that he had orchestrated a ‘staged date’ with her for the sole purpose of selling the resulting photographs.

A screenshot from their Instagram conversation displayed Turnbull politely proposing an opportunity to Nation.

‘Hi Alex, would like to chat about an opportunity with you 🙂 – Michael x,’ he wrote.

Hello there! I’m doing well, thank you for asking. Life after Bachelor In Paradise has been quite an adjustment, but overall, it’s been a positive experience. It’s amazing how much attention and change can come from such a unique opportunity. How about you? How has your journey been lately?

Following a quick exchange, Turnbull inquired, “Fancy taking some photos? Perhaps we could grab a coffee instead? It might be enjoyable.

She responded: ‘Appreciate the invitation, but I won’t be able to accept it this time. Have a great time in Melbourne! Perhaps we’ll cross paths at an event in the future, and we can catch up over a drink.’

In conversation with Daily Mail previously, Turnbull refuted the allegations of staged photographs and condemned The Nation for privately communicating with the media for a small fee.

Or,

In an interview with Daily Mail earlier, Turnbull disputed claims of manipulated photos and criticized The Nation for using back-channel communications with the press for minimal compensation.

Abbie Chatfield 

This week, Abbie Chatfield admitted that she had previously received payment for sharing her location with photographers.

In her podcast, It’s a Lot, the 30-year-old disclosed that she had kept a thousand dollars from photograph shoots arranged following her 2019 stint on The Bachelor.

In an interview, Chatfield shared that immediately after finishing The Bachelor, he was romantically involved with Todd King, who was The Bachelorette at the time. They arranged for photographers to capture pictures of them on a beach together.

Since we were already planning on going, the $1,000 expense seemed manageable. That’s about the cost of plane tickets from Perth, so we figured, “Great, this should cover our travel costs!

In my role as a lifestyle expert, I’d like to share an interesting behind-the-scenes detail about a recent photoshoot. Rather than communicating directly with the photographer, the coordination was facilitated by a journalist who acted as a liaison. This journalist passed on the precise location details from Queensland, ensuring a smooth and successful collaboration.

‘A journalist tipped off the paparazzi about our location. In the past, I’ve done this for financial reasons because I had a regular job at the time, and $1,000 is a significant amount of money,’ she explained.

‘We were going to go to the beach anyway, so if you are doing it for money, then go off, queen!’ 

The photographs, posed back in October 2019 at the scenic Noosa Beach, show Chatfield affectionately kissing King (a finalist from The Bachelorette) while both were dressed casually in swimwear.

Last year, Chatfield stated that she doesn’t often provide tips to the paparazzi. She added that the majority of paparazzi pictures of her nowadays are uninteresting, everyday shots of her taking her dog for a walk.

She thinks that, as long as the proceeds from these photos are equitably divided among everyone involved, it’s acceptable for celebrities to inform photographers about their locations.

In my fervent passion, if there’s a chance to earn from it, why resist? Back in the day, my significant other and I gave it a go primarily because of the financial incentive. However, unless an exceptionally lucrative offer comes along, I wouldn’t revisit that experience again.

In an interview with Daily Mail in 2024, Ben McDonald, the CEO of Matrix Media Group, revealed that numerous celebrities maintain professional relationships with photographers (paparazzi) to regulate and manage their public images.

Throughout his professional journey, he’s built connections with various famous personalities, ranging from top-tier Hollywood actors to reality television stars.

Read More

2025-08-06 09:36