Paul Hollywood apologises to viewers upset by diabetes comment on Bake Off

Paul Hollywood has said he is sorry after making a comment about diabetes on this weeks' episode of The Great British Bake Off.

Paul was criticised by some viewers of the show when he said that one of the contestants' Chelsea buns looked like "diabetes on a plate". A number of fans took to Twitter to express their upset at the remark, saying it reinforced misinformation around the medical condition and urging him to educate himself.

Paul’s comment about ‘diabetes on a plate’ was completely unnecessary. As someone who is a type 1 diabetic who deals daily with people not taking the condition seriously and lacking awareness of the different types it makes it so frustrating to hear jokes about it. #GBBO

— Sophie (@sophiemae2711) October 22, 2019

channel 4 allowing paul hollywood to make jokes about diabetes is vile. T1 is a type of diabetes that is usually diagnosed in young children, it is an auto immune disease that is irreversible & u cannot help getting. educate yourself before making ignorant & offensive comments?

— lou? (@lburns161) October 22, 2019

The phrase "Diabetes on a plate" needs to stop being used. Please educate yourself on Diabetes. That's just not how it works. Stop adding to the stigmatism! I'm disappointed in Paul Hollywood and Bake Off for using such shitty, damaging words.

— Isabel (@Bloodwraithe394) October 22, 2019

Paul apologised for the diabetes comment on Instagram yesterday, writing that his own family had been affected by the condition. "A remark re:- diabetes I made on tonight’s show was thoughtless and I meant no harm, as both my grandad and my own mother suffer/ suffered from diabetes ... apologies," he said.