A participant in a television reality show was entitled to unemployment benefits when she was evicted and had no other job, the high court ruled on Friday.

The young woman, known as Natasia, took part in the Talpa television production The Gilded Cage and was part of the show from September 2006 to July 2007. In the show, a group of people were confined to a luxury villa, which was the main prize for the winner. They were either voted out by viewers or teased away by the other contestants.
Natasia was paid €2,250 a month for the period she lived in the villa, and paid income tax and social security premiums over that amount. When she was evicted, she was refused social security benefits.
The high court has now ruled the benefits agency was wrong and that the agreement with Talpa was a sort of employment contract.