Kate Lawler has hit back after she was accused of ‘abusing’ and ‘criticising’ small businesses.
The This Morning star, 43, attempted to create her own balloon arch for her mother-in-law’s 70th birthday.
But after sharing her DIY skills with her 517,000 Instagram followers, she faced unexpected and harsh mocking and heavy criticism.
Wanting to make the celebration special, Kate wanted to do something extra for the event, but after being quoted £250, she thought a bright and nifty alternative.
Kate figured she would test her DIY skills and save money by crafting one herself.
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059341-13254845-Kate_Lawler_has_hit_back_after_she_came_under_fire_and_was_accus-a-46_1711799019112.jpg)
Kate Lawler has hit back after she was accused of ‘abusing’ and ‘criticising’ small businesses
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 3 The This Morning star attempted to save money by creating her own balloon arch for her mother-in-law's 70th birthday, and shared the results on Instagram](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059453-13254845-The_This_Morning_star_43_attempted_to_create_her_own_balloon_arc-a-47_1711799024122.jpg)
The This Morning star attempted to save money by creating her own balloon arch for her mother-in-law’s 70th birthday, and shared the results on Instagram
She admitted that she knew her handiwork would not be as refined as a professional but wanted to give it a go anyway, given that her party was just for 20 people.
The blonde beauty proudly showcased her £67 creation on Instagram, but professional balloon artists quickly attacked her in the comments.
One penned: ‘As a balloon/prop/decor company that does exactly these sort of set ups – I think you just highlighted why it would be £200 from professionals. Yours does the job, but it doesn’t compare.’
‘You get what you paid for and I think you just seriously dissed all of us balloon artists. Our costs include luxury branded balloons, skill and labour.’
‘I guess if you’re happy then well done BUT to me it looks bloody awful so so many mistakes but hey ho whatever floats your boat!’
‘Thanks Kate, considering you obviously know nothing about a professional balloon artist and how much goes into our work. Not just that we put our heart and soul into our business, but it’s also our time. How do you expect us to work for free? Maybe people want to think carefully before criticising how much it actually costs.’
‘Hahahahaha hahahahaha are you for real? That’s horrendous lmao. You haven’t even blown up the balloons well enough, and businesses generally charge 3 times the cost of sale, but you clearly don’t understand that either. Jesus, my neck is glowing for you. Embarrassing’
‘& that’s why it looks like that. come off it Kate we charge what we charge because we’re doing it for a living, for people who value beautiful things and their own time. it’s like saying you want to pay wholesale prices for clothes in next’
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 5 83059567 13254845 image m 57 1711799623072](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059567-13254845-image-m-57_1711799623072.jpg)
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 7 83059563 13254845 image m 54 1711799355086](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059563-13254845-image-m-54_1711799355086.jpg)
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![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 11 But after sharing her DIY skills with her 517,000 Instagram followers, she faced unexpected and harsh mocking and heavy criticism](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059559-13254845-But_after_sharing_her_DIY_skills_with_her_517_000_Instagram_foll-m-55_1711799367399.jpg)
But after sharing her DIY skills with her 517,000 Instagram followers, she faced unexpected and harsh mocking and heavy criticism
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 13 Wanting to make the celebration special, Kate wanted to do something extra for the event, but after being quoted £250, she thought a bright and nifty alternative. Kate figured she would test her DIY skills and save money by crafting one herself (pictured with her partner and daughter)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059455-13254845-Wanting_to_make_the_celebration_special_Kate_wanted_to_do_someth-a-49_1711799043295.jpg)
Wanting to make the celebration special, Kate wanted to do something extra for the event, but after being quoted £250, she thought a bright and nifty alternative. Kate figured she would test her DIY skills and save money by crafting one herself (pictured with her partner and daughter)
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 15 After receiving a sleuth of harsh comments, Kate created a video to respond to the haters and trolls, sharing that she 'can't cope' with the backlash](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059459-13254845-After_receiving_a_sleuth_of_harsh_comments_Kate_created_a_video_-a-50_1711799050442.jpg)
After receiving a sleuth of harsh comments, Kate created a video to respond to the haters and trolls, sharing that she ‘can’t cope’ with the backlash
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 17 83059585 13254845 image m 34 1711798754761](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059585-13254845-image-m-34_1711798754761.jpg)
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 19 83059583 13254845 image m 35 1711798769961](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059583-13254845-image-m-35_1711798769961.jpg)
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 21 Looking defeated and upset with her head in her hands, the mother said: 'Guys, I'm getting absolutely torn apart on Instagram and I can't cope'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/30/11/83059457-13254845-Looking_defeated_and_upset_with_her_head_in_her_hands_the_mother-m-56_1711799392424.jpg)
Looking defeated and upset with her head in her hands, the mother said: ‘Guys, I’m getting absolutely torn apart on Instagram and I can’t cope’
After receiving a sleuth of harsh comments, Kate created a video to respond to the haters and trolls, sharing that she ‘can’t cope’ with the backlash.
The mother said: ‘Guys, I’m getting absolutely torn apart on Instagram and I can’t cope. I’ve got to have my say, I’ve got to stick up for myself.
‘All I did was buy an easel off Amazon, a welcome board off Etsy and some balloons from Ginger Ray UK. I’m being annihilated.
‘I’m ‘abusing’ and ‘criticising’ the balloon arch community. Oh, the Karens are out in force!
”You should be ashamed of yourself Kate for not supporting small business! You’ve just shown the internet what kind of person you really are, Kate!” I just made my own balloon arch!
‘Honestly, I can’t cope! There are also people out there right, who can’t afford to pay £250 for a balloon arch if they are just having a small gathering at home for 20 people, like I was for Sue’s birthday.
‘The average age was 70. They don’t give a s*** about big balloon arches.’
She went on to shake the criticism off by dancing with balloons she used to make the arch while singing along to Don’t Let The B*stards Get You Down by Kris Kristofferson.
This is not the only time Kate has had to defend herself on her social media pages, as she was mum-shamed in November 2023.
She hit back at a troll who mum-shamed her on Instagram after learning that her daughter Noa still sleeps in a cot.
A video of Noa, who will turn three in February, singing under the mattress of her cot evoked some invited comments from one follower.
Leaving not one, but two comments, the user commented: ‘To be fair a bed would be better hun!!’
Kate simply replied: ‘She’d never be able to lift a bed mattress though. So no.’ [on a video of her lifting her tiny mattress]
The follower commented again: ‘She’s out grow that think (sic) and she will feel a bigger girl in a little bed!!!!
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 23 This is not the only time Kate has had to defend herself on her social media pages, as she was mum-shamed in November 2023. She hit back at a troll who mum-shamed her on Instagram after learning that her daughter Noa still sleeps in a cot](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78160399-12784169-image-m-123_1700748188874.jpg)
This is not the only time Kate has had to defend herself on her social media pages, as she was mum-shamed in November 2023. She hit back at a troll who mum-shamed her on Instagram after learning that her daughter Noa still sleeps in a cot
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 25 A video of Noa (pictured in November), in her cot on Instagram evoked some uninvited opinions from one of Kate's followers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78160401-12784169-image-a-128_1700748336552.jpg)
A video of Noa (pictured in November), in her cot on Instagram evoked some uninvited opinions from one of Kate’s followers
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 27 The follower commented: 'She¿s out grow that think (sic) and she will feel a bigger girl in a little bed!!!!](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78160411-12784169-image-a-130_1700748351739.jpg)
The follower commented: ‘She’s out grow that think (sic) and she will feel a bigger girl in a little bed!!!!
Kate clapped back: ‘She doesn’t need a bed to feel like a “bigger girl”, please don’t tell others how their children will feel when you don’t know them.
‘Also this wasn’t a post to ask for advice on Noa’s sleeping arrangements. She is the most content when we say goodnight and leave her room, extremely happy in her cot, sleeps through the night, never wakes us up and sleeps until 7-8am.
‘Why on earth would I change her to a bed? When she’s not got enough room to sleep or move I will buy her a bed.’
The rest of Kate’s fans supported her and shared stories of their own children acting strangely in their cots.
It is a far cry from an earlier November video, where a restless Noa threw items out of her cot, and the most-liked comments all suggested that Kate buy her a bed.
‘I feel like she possibly needs a bigger actual bed now? That’s what we’ve just done with our 2 year old and she sleeps so much better now x’ one polite fan said.
‘She’s possibly ready for an actual bed now’ said another, and a slightly passive aggressive fan said: ‘Her bed is so small! Is it a travel cot?’
A more blunt fan said: ‘She needs to be in a normal bed ???’
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 29 78160431 12784169 g a 135 1700748401614](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78160431-12784169-g-a-135_1700748401614.jpg)
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 31 Kate argued with the fan and told her: 'please don't tell others how their children will feel when you don't know them'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78160425-12784169-image-a-136_1700748415558.jpg)
Kate argued with the fan and told her: ‘please don’t tell others how their children will feel when you don’t know them’
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 33 78162069 12784169 image a 161 1700750158183](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78162069-12784169-image-a-161_1700750158183.jpg)
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![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 37 In an earlier November video, a restless Noa threw items out of her cot, and the most-liked comments suggested Kate buy her a bed](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78162063-12784169-Ongoing_issue_In_an_earlier_November_video_a_restless_Noa_threw_-m-164_1700750384080.jpg)
In an earlier November video, a restless Noa threw items out of her cot, and the most-liked comments suggested Kate buy her a bed
![Kate Lawler responds angrily to trolls after being accused of exploiting small businesses with inexpensive DIY project 39 Noa (pictured in November) got comfortable under her mattress and sang the nursery rhyme Frere Jacques](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/14/78160403-12784169-image-a-138_1700748430598.jpg)
Noa (pictured in November) got comfortable under her mattress and sang the nursery rhyme Frere Jacques
In December 2022, Kate shocked the internet when she shared a video of then-22-month-old Noa identifying different breeds of dog.
Kate gave birth to her first child Noa Daisy Ilse in February 2021 and Kate admitted she was worried she wouldn’t be able to conceive due to her low egg count.
Noa’s father is Martin Bojtos, a podcast producer, whom Kate married in 2022 after nine years together.
Kate became the first female winner of Big Brother in 2002 when she won the show’s third series.