Bake Off judge Prue Leith is under fire from eating disorder groups for making “unhelpful” comments about calories and fattening food.
On Tuesday night, she was seen tucking into some German treats on the Channel 4 show.
And she made remarks such as “The most fattening bite you can imagine” and “That is worth every calorie”.
In the past she has also repeated the phrase “worth every calorie” when sampling sweet bakes on the programme.
However eating disorder charity Beat has criticised her over her choice of language.
It claims such comments are “triggers” for those who suffer anorexia or bulimia.
(Image: Channel 4)
Director of external affairs Tom Quinn said: “Mentions of calories can be triggering to people with or vulnerable to an eating disorder.
“We know from the people we support that equating food with ‘good’ or ‘bad’ moral connotations can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, and can even encourage eating disorder behaviours, and so talk of food being ‘worth the calories’ is very unhelpful.
“We would strongly encourage Channel 4 to be conscious about the way food and exercise is discussed, for instance not mentioning calories or specific weights, in order to protect their audience.”
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Love Productions)
Social media was also awash with comments which included: “As a person who previously had an eating disorder: please stop saying things are ‘worth the calories”, I cringe every time I hear Prue say “worth the calories” and “I wish Prue would stop talking about how fattening or ‘worth the calories’ bakes are.”
Last night Channel 4 failed to respond when asked for a comment.
Viewers were left feeling concerned towards the end of Tuesday’s episode of the show after presenter and comedian Noel Fielding went “missing”.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions)
Following two rounds in German week, the host was seen noticeably absent just before the showstopper round took place.
Co-host Matt Lucas could be heard telling the bakers Noel was feeling “under the weather”, but plenty of fans still took to social media to question what happened and express their concern for the Mighty Boosh star.
One person said: “Oh Noel on #GBBO looked extra pale and now they’ve said he’s not well. Hope #NoelFielding is okay?”
Another echoed this, writing: “Now I can’t focus on the showstoppers??!! WHERE’S NOEL, is he okay??!! #GBBO”, as a third added: “I must have missed it, where did Noel disappear to? #GBBO.”
A fourth was also worried: “What was wrong with Noel, he was there a minute ago having a laugh, now he’s a bit under the weather! #GBBO.”
Great British Bake Off continues Tuesday on Channel 4 at 8pm
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
