A comment made by Nadine Dorries that a Channel 4 reality show she featured in during 2010 used paid actors is "unfounded", the production company behind it has said.

Ms Dorries appeared in Tower Block of Commons in 2010 where she featured as one of the MPs who went to live in deprived communities.

Appearing before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Thursday (May 19) the Culture Secretary accused the show of allegedly hiring actors to play real people.

Ms Dorries was being questioned at the committee session about the Government’s decision to sell off Channel 4 after it recently announced plans to press ahead with its privatisation.

In the reality show, Ms Dorries was sent to briefly live in South Acton estate in west London to see how the other half live.

Watford Observer: Dorries was being questioned about the Government's decision to sell off Channel 4 (PA)Dorries was being questioned about the Government's decision to sell off Channel 4 (PA) (Image: PA)

She told the committee on Thursday that after featuring on the Channel 4 show she “discovered later they were actually actors”.

Ms Dorries added: “The parents of the boys in that programme actually came here to have lunch with me and contacted me to tell me, actually, they were in acting school and that they weren’t really living in a flat, and they weren’t real, they were actually actors.

“And there’s a pharmacist or somebody that I went to see who prepared food, she was also a paid actress as well.”

Love Productions, the production company behind the programme, said it believes her claims to be “unfounded” but that it takes “the allegations seriously” and will “investigate thoroughly”.

A spokesperson for the firm said: “Love Productions does not use actors to impersonate contributors in any of its documentary or constructed factual series.

“Nadine Dorries took part in the making of Tower Block Of Commons for Channel 4 alongside other genuine contributors, and we are confident that her claims are unfounded.

“Nevertheless, we take the allegations seriously and will investigate thoroughly.

“We also await Nadine Dorries’ reply to Channel 4’s request for evidence to back up her comments.”