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The Great British Bake Off star, pastry chef, and well-renowned author Ravneet Gill has made multiple appearances on the Channel 4 show. On October 10, she made an appearance on The Great British Bake Off spinoff series Extra Slice and joined hosts Jo Brand and Tom Allen.
While talking about the Bread Week challenge, Ravneet shared that she and her mother love bread. Then she stated that her mom was coeliac and even though "she shouldn’t eat bread, she still eats it."
This statement was criticized by the charity Coeliac UK organization, which wrote an open letter to the show's crew and producers on October 11. They mentioned that Gill's comments could send a "harmful message" to the audience and "downplay" the severity of this disease.
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On October 15, The Great British Bake Off chef took to her Instagram and posted stories where she addressed her comments, made on the show. Ravneet clarified that she had no intention of spreading misinformation or to "downplay" it. She continued:
“I want to make it really clear that my intention was not in any way to cause any misinformation about the severity of coeliac disease or to downplay it at all. For that, I hold my hands up and that was really never my intention.”
The Great British Bake Off chef Ravneet Gill clarifies her statements regarding coeliac disease
Coeliac UK stated that coeliac disease is an "autoimmune condition" which happens due to the consumption of gluten. This can cause problems for the gut lining eventually leading to "health complications" and lack of nutrients as well as "long-term health risks" and pain.
In their statement, the organization stated the impact of consuming gluten on people who have coeliac disease, it further mentioned:
“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.”
Talking about her prior experience working in a gluten-free restaurant, The Great British Bake Off chef explained that she had spent time "educating herself" on the disease. She also shared that she had written gluten-free recipes for people, reassuring her followers that she had no wrong intentions. She continued:
“I just want to circle back and let you know that I didn’t intend for those comments to cause harm, and the fact that they did really upset me, and I’m sorry about that.”
Gill stated that she should have been careful while saying something on a reality TV show. Gill said that she should have thought "more carefully" about what to say while the cameras were rolling and should have provided more context to her comment. The Great British Bake Off chef stated:
"When I was in my twenties, I worked in London’s first gluten-free restaurant, long before platforms like YouTube and Instagram were as big, and I spent a lot of time educating myself. In a fast-moving panel show, sometimes it’s hard and you can’t get your words out, and I should have provided more context."
Towards the end of her statement, Gill shared that her mom wasn't upset at her comments. Fans can follow her official Instagram account to see Gill's efforts in the cooking community.
The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 every Tuesday at 8 PM.
