Gordon Ramsay has said he’s proud of his daughter Tilly for standing up to radio host Steve Allen after he commented on her weight.
LBC star Allen, 67, shocked listeners when he said the 19-year-old Strictly contestant was a “chubby little thing”, and that it was probably down to her dad’s cooking.
Tilly hit back on Instagram, saying she wouldn’t “tolerate people that think it’s OK to publicly comment and scrutinise anyone’s weight and appearance”.
And her dad Gordon has revealed he couldn’t be more proud that she spoke up.
Speaking on an Instagram Live, he said it was a “breath of fresh air”.
“It made me feel very proud that she just stood up and said, ‘Hey, I’m not going to tolerate that’,” he said.
The celebrity chef, 54, said weight is a sensitive issue.
“I am someone who has always struggled with my weight,” he said.
“Everyone says, ‘How do you keep in shape now?’ I train, I have to keep fit. We eat all day. We pick, we graze, we are around food 24/7. There is that level of discipline. If we don’t train I’d be 350-400 pounds – so all credit to her.”
Celebrities including John Whaite, Ugo Monye, Dr Alex George and Giovanna Fletcher spoke out in support of Tilly after Allen’s remarks.
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom also confirmed that it had received more than 800 complaints.
Tilly’s response to Allen’s comments said: “I try not to read and listen to comments and negativity.
“However, recently being called out on a national radio station by a 67-year-old man is a step too far.
“Steve please feel free to voice your opinions, however I draw the line at commenting on my appearance. It’s such a shame that someone is trying to make such a positive experience negative.
“This isn’t the first and definitely won’t be the last comment made about my appearance. But please remember that words can hurt and at the end of the day I am only 19.
“I understand that being in the public eye obviously comes with its own repercussions and I’ve been aware of this from a young age.
“However, I won’t tolerate people that think it’s OK to publicly comment and scrutinise anyone’s weight and appearance.”
It has been reported that Allen has since reached out to Tilly to apologise.
