This Morning's Vanessa Feltz sparks Ofcom storm with 'irresponsible' advice
This Morning has been slapped with over 1,000 complaints to Ofcom.
It comes just days after Vanessa Feltz appeared on the ITV flagship programme and offered "ill-informed" advice on Coeliac disease. During a segment on the lunchtime show, a caller explained that she was being "forced" to eat a gluten-free Christmas dinner as guests attending the lunch have Coeliac disease. Coeliac disease causes the body to attack tissues when the person consumes gluten.
But Vanessa's advice to the anonymous caller sparked outrage with many branding it "ill-informed". Now, official figures released by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom show that 1,092 complaints were made about the episode which aired on December 18, 2023.
Vanessa Feltz's comments have sparked uproar (ITV)Vanessa turned to hosts Craig Doyle and Josie Gibson and said: "When Alison said, 'Can we bring our own food then? Can we bring food in a snack box?'" The TV broadcaster later added: "She said, 'No.' So she's treating Coeliac disease as if it's a kind of fatal, potentially fatal peanut allergy and that they can't have anything with gluten in the house, which is completely unreasonable."
The star then advised: "That is not reasonable Alison at all. The thing is though, if you say to her, 'Look, he can have gluten-free, we don't have to, it's not catching." What will she say? How will she respond?" The caller, Alison responded: "She'll tell me that I'm ignorant to the facts and tell me to read up on it." Vanessa continued: "But you're not and she's wrong, I mean she's just unequivocally wrong about that. Completely wrong." Vanessa informed Alison that she believes she will have to go with the flow and snack before she arrives at her mother-in-law's house and snack on the way home.
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She added: "Have a snack on the way there, bring something to eat in the car on the way home, don't stay too long, but don't fall out with your mother-in-law over a bit of gluten, that's what I think. Or the lack of gluten." Josie then chimed in to point out that people who suffer from the disease need to be wary of cross-contamination of gluten food.
However, Vanessa was adamant that she would be sticking to her point and commented: "Vanessa added: "But they don't have to have any cross-contamination, especially if they bring their own food from home and her 15-year-old has what he actually likes which he brings in the snack box, would be perfectly fine. But I just think is it worth falling out with her, digging your heels in, making a big mountain out of it when it's only one day, pretty much one meal?"
Vanessa has since issued an apology for her comments. During an appearance on TalkTV, she said: "I found myself at the centre of a social media storm this week… I said what I said there, but then I added that you should go in the spirit of Christmas and enjoy a gluten-free meal anyway. I did not suggest that they put the coeliac in harm's way nor did I intend to show in any shape or form any disrespect to anyone with coeliac disease.
"I am astounded by the reaction and horrified that anyone is upset. I don't think that I said anything wrong but if anyone is upset that I am very sorry. All I ever want is clarity and compassion and I am certainly not trying to play down coeliac disease. The last thing I wanted to do was upset anyone and I hope that I have made amends."
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