Entertainment
Charity demands apology after Bake Off sparks ‘deep concern with harmful message’-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro
The presenter who made the comments has also found herself under fire.
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The Great British Bake Off has been accused of spreading a ‘harmful message’ during a discussion about coeliac disease.
During this week’s episode of spin-off series Bake Off: An Extra Slice, hosts Jo Brand and Tom Allen welcomed guests Jonathan Ross, Ravneet Gill and Josh Pugh.
Speaking about the Bread Week challenges the contestants faced on the show this week, conversation then changed to what the panel thought of the staple food.
‘I’ve never met a loaf I didn’t love,’ Jonathan declared.
Meanwhile Josh said he had ‘never met anyone who didn’t like bread’.
Ravneet then went on to share: ‘Well I love bread but my Mum’s coeliac so she shouldn’t eat bread, but she still loves it, she still eats it.’
Bake Off has been asked to apologise for comments made about coeliac disease by Ravneet Gill on An Extra Slice (Picture: Channel 4)
Jo replied: ‘Good for her.’
Jonathan then added: ‘And good for whoever cleans up after her.’
However in an open letter written to the producers of the show, Coeliac UK said it would ‘like to express concern’.
‘These comments trivialise coeliac disease and send a harmful message to the public. Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition where the ingestion of gluten triggers an immune response that damages the gut lining, leading to nutrient malabsorption and a host of potential health complications. Even the smallest crumb of gluten can cause severe symptoms, including debilitating pain, prolonged suffering and even recurrent miscarriage, as long-term health risks such as osteoporosis and, in rare cases, small bowel cancer. It is crucial to emphasis that coeliac disease is not a food preference or an allergy; it is a serious medical condition that requires lifelong adherence to a strict gluten free diet,’ the letter, signed by chief executive officer Hilary Croft, read.
They continued: ‘We are particularly disheartened by Ravneet Gill’s comments given her previous role as a judge on the Junior Bake Off, where she displayed compassion for those that have been diagnosed with coeliac disease. The remarks made during An Extra Slice perpetuate a narrative that dismisses the severity of this condition. They suggest that individuals with coeliac disease should compromise their health for the sake of enjoyment, which undermines the very real challenges they face and ultimately puts their health at risk.
The charity Coeliac UK has written an open letter to the show’s producers (Picture: Coeliac UK/ Instagram)
What is coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease is a ‘condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten’, the NHS explains, which causes damage to the gut.
Gluten is found in three types of cereal – wheat, barley and rye – and is therefore found in foods including pasta, cereals and most breads.
Symptoms of coeliac disease can include stomach ache, flatulence, constipation and diarrhoea.
When a person has coeliac disease, their immune system ‘mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them’, which damages the surface of the small bowel and ‘disrupts the body’s ability to take in nutrients from food’.
‘Furthermore, the laughter in response to these comments trivilaises the struggles of the 1 in 100 individuals in the UK affected by this condition. It is critical that media representations acknowledge the seriousness of coeliac disease and the physical and mental health implications of adhering to a gluten free diet. Discussions around gluten free diet should promote accurate understanding, respect, and accommodation for dietary needs rather than downplaying their significance.’
The charity then added: ‘We are hopeful that this incident will encourage your team to engage in respectful conversations regarding coeliac disease and its impact on individuals and families.’
It also called for an apology to people with coeliac disease on air ‘to address the dismissive and inaccurate portrayal of coeliac disease in the programme’.
In the caption of the post, the charity said it was ‘deeply concerned’ by the remarks.
Ravneet appeared on the spin-off series this week alongside Josh Pugh and Jonathan Ross (Picture: Channel 4)
After sharing a photo on the set of the show, Ravneet also faced severe criticism from many viewers.
‘Couldn’t quite believe my ears with the coeliac comments! How irresponsible! Coeliacs eating gluten is not funny and should not be condoned! You really need to put this right and apologise and explain – this is particularly distressing for those newly diagnosed is this the message to give them!’ Jan commented.
Many others expressed their concern, with one saying they were ‘flabbergasted by the condition being trivialised’.
The backlash comes after Vanessa Feltz came under fire for comments she made about the disease on This Morning last year.
The contestants on Bake Off faced Break Week on the most recent episode (Picture: Channel 4/ Love Productions/ Mark Bourdillon/ PA Wire)
During a segment Vanessa said a caller’s mother-in-law not allowing them to bring their own food to a gluten-free Christmas dinner was ‘completely unreasonable’.
In response to the caller being told not to bring anything, Feltz said: ‘So she’s treating coeliac disease as if it’s a potentially fatal peanut allergy and they can’t have anything with gluten in the house which is completely unreasonable.’
Feltz, 61, later apologised on her TalkTV show for the comments, saying ‘if anyone misunderstood or felt that I did, I am very sorry’.
However, viewers were unimpressed, with the show facing thousands of complaints to Ofcom.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Channel 4 for comment.
The Great British Bake Off continues Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4.
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