Carol Vorderman has won over countless fans with her appearance on I’m a Celebrity…South Africa, despite her missing out on the jungle crown.
However away from the popular ITV reality programme, the TV legend has had a very public feud with a famous entrepreneur.
Carol and Baroness Michelle Mone OBE, who founded the lingerie company Ultimo, once struck up a friendship during an unexpected meeting at a hotel – but it soon ended just under two years later.
READ MORE: Carol Vorderman urged to sell her racy bikinis for money after wowing I’m A Celeb fans
As the final of I’m a Celebrity…South Africa approaches, Daily Star has taken a closer look inside their long-standing feud.
Unexpected friendship
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Carol first met entrepreneur Michelle when they were both staying at the Dorchester Hotel more than a decade ago.
Speaking on James O’Brien’s Full Disclosure podcast, the former Countdown presenter explained that she was working as an announcer for Loose Women the time and would regularly stay in the hotel.
One particular night, she popped to the hotel’s bar and bumped into Michelle, with the two becoming friends.
“I started staying in The Dorchester and I would top up, and that’s my choice. And I was doing other work as well,” said Carol.
(Image: Instagram)
“And she was staying there at the same time. So, you’re a single woman, you go downstairs to the bar and that’s where it sort of began.”
The two were soon spotted out and about together at a number of high-profile events, but their friendship was not to last.
Carol explained: “It lasted about, I’d say 18 months maybe – something like that. I won’t go into detail but I just realised, ‘Woah, I don’t want to be seen with this person.’”
Twitter rants
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Earlier this year, Carol hit out at Michelle and her husband in a furious Twitter rant, according to The Sun.
The TV presenter shared an article by The Sunday Post regarding a loan company owned by Michelle’s husband, with Carol tweeting: “MICHELLE MONE’S HUSBAND A new company based around his now infamous firm on the Isle of Man is giving loans of £1,000-£5,000 with APR of up to 92%.
“Both currently under police investigation, is there no moral bar too low for these two??”
It is just one of a number of tweets where Carol has addressed Michelle in recent months, following her on-air rant about the Baroness on This Morning.
On-air swipe
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Just over a decade since their friendship ended, Carol took aim at Michelle during an episode of This Morning.
In 2020, claims were made that Michelle may have profited from contracts awarded to a PPE business, according to a report by Sky News.
Michelle has denied the claims and a statement released by the Baroness’ office at the time of the claims said: “With immediate effect, Baroness Mone will be taking a leave of absence from the House of Lords in order to clear her name of the allegations that have been unjustly levelled against her.”
In a separate statement, Michelle also previously said: “I was asked to help at a time of national emergency. I declared all necessary interests and have done nothing wrong.”
(Image: PA)
However during an episode of This Morning, when Carol and Gyles Brandeth were discussing an outburst from Sir Rod Stewart regarding reports of “£15b of wastage” of PPE, Carol took aim at Michelle during a rant.
“I cannot talk about useless PPE without also talking about Michelle Mone, who was brought into the House of Lords, as a baroness, by David Cameron,” she said, before mentioning the claims that had been brought against the Baroness.
However, Alison Hammond interrupted Carol and defended Michelle, stating that the Baroness was not present to address the claims against her.
Carol replied: “No she’s not here to defend herself but I’m repeating what has been said in the press.”
A source addressed the on-air swipe at the time, with Birmingham Mail reporting the source as saying: “Baroness Mone will not be commenting on this publicity-hungry person.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
