A BUSINESS forum funded by a Gwent council has defended its decision to ask reality TV boss Nev Wilshire to speak at its Christmas dinner - while his former staff await redundancy payments.

Mr Wilshire, who shot to fame in the BBC series Call Centre, was a director of RIS Insulation in Abertillery until it shut in October with the loss of 19 jobs.

The GMB union blasted Torfaen Business Voice for asking Wilshire to speak to members of the business club on Thursday night.

GMB regional officer Jeff Beck said: “To the workers facing Christmas without income this is cold comfort.

“GMB is also extremely disappointed that Torfaen Business Voice, which receives financial support from Torfaen Borough Council, went ahead with the invitation for Mr Wilshire to be the after dinner speaker.”

Mr Wilshire is the chief executive of the Save Britain Money group and takes part in public speaking events for various organisations and charities.

Save Britain Money blamed government insulation grants for a downturn in the industry, stressed the Abertillery employees had been given salaries until October and that redundancy payments were being worked out.

Torfaen Business Voice spokesman, Ashley Harkus, said: “Mr Wilshire has become well known from the BBC3 Call Centre series and makes regular appearances on prime time television, as well as taking part in numerous public speaking events for a range of well respected organisations and charities.

“He was booked in his capacity as a media personality and chosen by the business club committee as an entertaining speaker for our annual Christmas meeting.”

A SBM spokesman said: “In October the directors of SBM Energy Services Limited, previously named RIS Insulation Ltd. made the difficult decision to stop operations at the Abertillery branch and mothball the site.

“The business had been losing money throughout 2014 as a direct result of a sustained downturn in the insulation industry.

“This shrinkage of the industry was caused by changes to the Government grant system which had allowed homeowners to make free energy efficiency improvements to their properties.”

He said directors worked hard to seek new contracts and retain jobs despite mounting losses, but were forced to close the Abertillery plant in October.

The spokesman added: “The directors can confirm that the salaries due from October were paid on time and that they are currently working to collect invoices due to them in order that redundancy payments can be calculated and processed.

“We will keep in touch during this period to advise the individuals concerned of likely timescales.”