The Veronicas say doing Celebrity Apprentice was a ‘massive mistake’

The Veronicas have slammed reality show The Celebrity Apprentice, accusing producers of ‘gut-wrenching, soul destroying’ editing.

The Veronicas have opened up on reality TV editing. Picture: © Damian Bennett for Stellar

The Veronicas have described being on Celebrity Apprentice as a “massive mistake”, accusing producers of “gut-wrenching, soul destroying” editing.

The chart-topping twins posted a damning statement via Instagram after Tuesday night’s episode, including an open letter to the “crew and production involved” in the Nine show “that knows the truth”.

In an Instagram story posted on Lisa Origliasso’s account, the letter said the duo signed onto the show “under the guise of charity and heart” to raise money for the Brain Foundation, as their mother Colleen has rare progressive supranuclear palsy (a cerebral disorder that affects her cognitive ability and motor function).

In Tuesday’s episode, the twins were made project manners for a challenge – in the program only successful project manners can win money for their charity.

The Veronicas’ Jess and Lisa Origliasso have blasted The Celebrity Apprentice.

The pair lost the challenge, with $69,000 going to Shaynna Blaze’s cause Voice of Change instead, leaving The Veronicas’ charity with nothing.

The episode showed the pair discussing why winning the challenge was so important to them, and explaining their mother’s condition. However, they stated TV editing made it look like they were exploiting the illness.

“You turn around and weaponised our words and our mummy’s name – turning them into a knife used to stab us in the heart. Shame on you.

“What you have done to us is gut-wrenching, soul destroying and the lowest thing you could ever do to us as women, daughters and carers.

“You have used us at the most fragile time in our lives. This was never a game to us, this is our reality we were fighting for, hoping to turn our pain into something positive.”

The controversial episode ended with a cliffhanger, with The Veronicas potentially being fired in an intense board room showdown.

“Things don’t get better here for us, so you win,” Lisa wrote. “I hope it was worth it.”

On Wednesday, Lisa posted footage of sister Jessica feeding their mother and continued her attack on the show and the feedback from viewers.

“Before you leave a nasty comment saying we made Celebrity Apprentice too personal, please explain to me how we could not? Please understand we are grieving while also having to be strong enough to show up and give our beautiful mummy the love and care she deserves.”

Lisa said she and her sister are her mother’s prime carers and “solely responsible” for all decisions for her health and wellbeing.

“This wasn’t airtime to us, like it was for others,” Lisa wrote of the TV cast.

“This was as personal as it gets. In hindsight it was a massive mistake doing the show, even with the best of intentions and hoping to use the platform to raise awareness. We were not afforded any sensitivity in the end around why we were there. It was twisted and exploited for entertainment and that is something I will never understand.”

The Veronicas’ next obligation for the network is performing at the State of Origin next week.

‘YOU’RE BEING A BIT MUCH’

The sisters previously called out a scene where they started an argument while recording comment pieces to camera; a staple of reality TV.

While narrating an incident involving social media star Alex Hayes, Jess told Lisa: “My patience is getting thin so if you know what needs to be said please say it.”

Lisa clapped back: “OK I’m just letting you know something, you’re being a bit much.”

Jess stated she was “irritated” before Lisa said she needed to “take a moment after that.”

The duo noted “reality TV is highly edited out of ‘context’ to amplify drama. And narrative that suits the agenda. Please use common sense and understand this is obviously not a transparent show – it’s game show entertainment.

“The only ‘business’ in this show is the business of entertainment and drama … don’t get confused about what this is. And we will continue to bring you the laughs and relatability.”

The sisters also defended themselves against claims their ‘dot’ painted guitar, which was sold for $60,000, was cultural appropriation of Indigenous art.

The Veronicas have blasted Nine over their editing on a reality TV show.

Speaking on Facebook, the sisters said “this was not Aboriginal art or appropriation of our Sacred Australian indigenous culture. What was edited out was us explaining before starting that we were going to use elements of Pointillism art and duality of colours within that art style to create our design.”

The pair told Stellar they signed onto Celebrity Apprentice to raise money for The Brain Foundation, in honour of their mother. “We haven’t done anything like that before,” Lisa said.

“Wonderful friendships were made. All the drama and fun we all had was in good spirits of raising money for charity. It’ll be hilarious to watch it back.”

Jess pointed out they quickly learned how reality TV worked.

“It’s a show about business but it also isn’t really, it’s in the business of drama, and it’s also about entertainment.”

Lisa added: “I do think we’re quite good at the business of drama, we’re well versed at that.”

The pair were producers on their own reality show for MTV, Blood is For Life, noting “we got final say on the cut of that.”

The Veronicas star on the cover of Stellar.

The Veronicas will tour Australia in June. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, The Veronicas have thrown their support behind a long overdue clean out of the toxic aspects of the Australian music industry.

Anonymous Instagram Beneath the Class Ceiling page has become a forum where people can share their experiences.

“We are seeing change which is incredible,” Lisa Origliasso said.

“There are booking agencies and artists refusing to play certain venues now, there’s the Beneath the Glass Ceiling on Instagram where people can anonymously and freely share their stories about the industry, this is helpful towards the greater cause. Time is up in that regard, it’s a very positive step in the right direction.

“We started in this industry when we were 19, the majority of our early experiences happened in the US, we were signed to a label there. But as young women in the industry we encountered all kinds of behaviour and people – you grow up very quickly and realise quickly who you can and can’t trust.”

Sister Jess Origliasso welcomed more diversity in the music industry at the highest levels.

“We cannot allow anyone to continue to abuse their power or use it in a way that is harmful to people, especially young women. There is inequality within pay, within positions, within power. Diversity needs to exist to strengthen in an evolutionary process.”

The pair’s new album Godzilla was released this week, with the companion piece Human to follow at the end of June.

Originally published as The Veronicas say doing Celebrity Apprentice was a ‘massive mistake’