Being a celebrity - such as a famous film star or sports personality - brings problems as well as benefits. Do you think that being a celebrity brings more benefits or more problems? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge. v.23

Fame undoubtedly changes a person’s life. Nevertheless, such changes are not always for the better; in fact, for all professions, from movie star to sports personalities, being a celebrity has challenges as well as benefits. Undoubtedly, fame can be extremely rewarding. Firstly, there is the sense of personal fulfillment that must come from making your family proud of what you have achieved. Secondly, celebrities can reap enormous financial rewards from their fame. On top of their fees, the famous have the potential to earn huge amount of money from promoting luxury brands. A type of wealth that is possible because celebrities are often seen as role models, and so people want to copy them and buy what they have. Being a focus for the world’s attention is clearly lucrative. However, achieving this status is not without its problems. First, celebrities can no longer live a normal life. If they visit public places, such as malls and bars, people will crowd around them demanding a picture or autograph. To avoid this, the famous are forced to live in gated communities, visit the most expensive restaurants and hotels, and hire personal body guards for themselves and their families. Second, being a public figure means that your life is like an open book. The public love to gossip about the lives of celebrities, so it is almost impossible for them to have any privacy. As a result, the famous can be made to feel isolated and under siege. To sum up, whilst being famous brings huge financial benefits, there are even more significant drawbacks. In my view, only those who manage to handle the problems associated with fame, can truly be said to reap its rewards.