Vanessa Feltz has come under fire from This Morning viewers who have accused her of spreading misinformation about people who have coeliac disease.
Fans have called for Vanessa to apologise for her ‘irresponsible’ remarks about the disease, which means your immune system attacks your tissues when you eat gluten
During Monday’s episode of the magazine show, the TV personality, 61, appeared to offer advice to guests about issues they are facing.
A caller, named Alison, called in to complain that she was ‘being forced to have a gluten-free Christmas’ by her mother-in-law who wants to cater to one guest.
Vanessa read out the problem to co-hosts Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle and also added that Alison has a daughter, 15, who is a ‘bit of a fussy eater’.
Vanessa Feltz has come under fire from This Morning viewers who have accused her of spreading misinformation about people who have coeliac disease
Vanessa read out the problem to co-hosts Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle and also added that Alison has a daughter, 15, who is a ‘bit of a fussy eater’
Vanessa said: ‘When Alison said, “Can we bring our own food then? Can we bring food in a snack box?” She said, “No.”
‘So she’s treating coeliac disease as if it’s a kind of fatal, potentially fatal peanut allergy and that they can’t have anything with gluten in the house, which is completely unreasonable.’
Vanessa advised: ‘That is not reasonable Alison at all. The thing is though, if you say to her, “Look, he can have gluten-free, we don’t have to, it’s not catching.” What will she say? How will she respond?’
Alison replied: ‘She’ll tell me that I’m ignorant to the facts and tell me to read up on it.’
Vanessa added: ‘But you’re not and she’s wrong, I mean she’s just unequivocally wrong about that. Completely wrong.’
While Vanessa told Alison she was ‘100 per cent right’ about the situation she advised that she is ‘pretty much going to have to go with it’ to keep the peace.
‘Have a snack on the way there, bring something to eat in the car on the way home, don’t stay too long, but don’t fall out with your mother-in-law over a bit of gluten, that’s what I think. Or the lack of gluten,’ she added.
Josie added that people with coeliac disease need to be wary of cross-contamination of gluten.
Fans have called for Vanessa to apologise for her ‘irresponsible’ remarks about the disease, which means your immune system attacks your tissues when you eat gluten
Vanessa then answered: ‘But they don’t have to have any cross-contamination, especially if they bring their own food from home and her 15-year-old has what he actually likes which he brings in the snackbox, would be perfectly fine.
‘But I just think is it worth falling out with her, digging your heels in, making a big mountain out of it when it’s only one day, pretty much one meal?’
Furious viewers, some of whom have the condition, said that Vanessa was giving out ‘bad advice’ and demanded that she do her research.
Accusing her of spreading misinformation, one person said: ‘Oh dear @ITV @ThisMorning seem to be falling into the modern trend of being contrary to the sharing of misinformation.
‘Since when did Vanessa Feltz become qualified to give medical advice?’
One other asked for an apology, writing: ‘@ThisMorning please can Vanessa give a massive apology to the hundreds of thousands of coeliacs in the UK?
‘This false reporting is not only annoying but downright dangerous. Please can you have [gluten free chef] Becky Excell on your show, who will show you how delicious GF food can be.’
Another said: ‘This is what happens when you have ill informed and ignorant presenters like Vanessa Feltz spreading misinformation. She needs to be held accountable for her dangerous words!’
Another person said something similar, writing: ‘This Morning you need to address the misinformation that Vanessa Feltz put out on your show yesterday. Please invite Becky Excell Gluten Free onto the show to provide correct advice and dispel the dangerously incorrect information provided by Ms Feltz.’
MailOnline have reached out to Vanessa and This Morning for comment.
