Vanessa Feltz, 63, in Ofcom storm as guest’s ‘moronic’ breast-feeding remarks spark outrage: ‘Privileged snobbery!’
Vanessa Feltz’s Channel 5 daytime programme has attracted more than 2,000 complaints to Ofcom following controversial discussions about breastfeeding.
The broadcasting regulator received 1,856 complaints about the June 10 episode, which featured a segment viewers deemed “misleading” regarding breastfeeding benefits.
A further 130 complaints were lodged about the June 13 broadcast, which included a follow-up breastfeeding discussion.
The controversy centres on comments made by fashion designer Karen Millen during the earlier programme, where she claimed there was “no benefit” to breastfeeding children beyond six months.
The complaints have reportedly triggered emergency discussions amongst Channel 5 executives about the show’s future.
During the controversial segment, Millen stated: “There’s no benefit, is there, for a child to be breastfed beyond six months really.”
She added: “I think it’s quite a selfish thing on the mother’s part.”
When pressed to elaborate, she continued: “I just think that’s not good emotionally for that child. I mean, what does that child do later in life?
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“The attachment – like you say it becomes an addiction and an addiction for that child too because they only know the boob. It’s just not normal, is it? I’m sorry, I find it very weird.”
Her remarks sparked immediate backlash from viewers who criticised her lack of expertise on the subject.
One person wrote on X: “My god, Karen Millen is a moron. How do we live in a society where it is considered unnatural to breastfeed but ok to reconstitute freeze-dried whey protein from an animal that diverged in evolution from us 100 million years ago and shove that into a baby every 4h.”
A second outraged user added: “Karen Millen is an uneducated t*** with an unwanted opinion. It’s scientific fact how beneficial breastfeeding is for babies beyond even the age of one. It’s a mother’s prerogative on how she decides to feed her baby and for how long.”
A third wrote: “Her apology wasn’t really an apology and she neglected to say that what she said is scientifically untrue,” while a fourth simply said: “Stop shaming moms!”
A fifth raged: “Karen Millen living up to the Karen name sake. You and your irrelevant brand can get in the f***ing bin. What a f***ing loser.”
And a sixth person added: “Breastfeeding past 6 months, is selfish for who? YOU? Your business?? Who? Your comment was narrow-minded privileged snobbery.” (sic)
The June 13 episode featured what viewers described as a “weak” apology for the previous week’s content. Following the backlash, Millen took to social media to clarify her position.
She wrote: “The question was aimed at a three-year-old being breastfed and my thoughts on that and my answers reflected that, not the subject of breastfeeding.
“And as a woman to women, I do respect your choices, and I do want to support you. Whatever you do, remember you know best about what’s right for you and your baby.”
Despite this clarification, complaints continued to pour in about the programme’s handling of the sensitive topic.
A source claimed to The Sun that “the future of Vanessa’s show is very much uncertain for the time being.”
They added: “Executives have been in crisis discussions and are devising strategies to overhaul the show immediately if it stands any chance of survival.”
A Channel 5 spokesperson responded: “There are no current plans for any changes. As with all live shows, we continue to evolve with our audience.”
The programme has struggled with ratings despite hopes that Jeremy Vine’s viewers would stay tuned.
This marks another challenging chapter for Feltz, whose previous daytime shows on ITV, BBC One and Channel 5 were all cancelled.