Binky Felstead has finally broken her silence on the cake scandal that rocked her social media presence. The former Made in Chelsea star, 35, revealed that she received 'death threats' in the aftermath, describing the experience as 'frightening' and unlike anything she has faced in her 15 years in the public eye.
The Cake Scandal Unfolds
Earlier this month, bakers accused Felstead of requesting free birthday and wedding cakes before failing to follow through on promises of promotion. Reshmi Bennett, owner of London-based luxury cake business Anges de Sucre, claimed Felstead's assistant asked for a 'yellow train cake' for 10 people but insisted it be 'gifted'. Bennett posted screenshots of messages, stating that 'influencers would rather pay a team to get free stuff rather than just paying for the stuff'.
The exposé prompted others to come forward. The owner of Funfetti London alleged that Felstead requested a wedding cake in 2021 and a cake for her daughter's birthday. At the time, the cake business was a side hustle, and the owner was 'flattered' by the offer, hoping for Instagram coverage and a feature in Hello! Magazine. However, she claimed Felstead did not tag her in posts as promised and failed to pay an invoice sent months later.
Felstead's Response
Speaking to The Sun, Felstead said that 'cakegate' has 'been a lot'. The mother of three – daughter India, eight, with ex Josh Patterson, and sons Wolfie, four, and Wilder, three, with husband Max Darnton – said the ordeal affected her entire family. Her youngest son asked his father, 'Why does Mummy keep crying?' Felstead added, 'That's when it really hit home.'
She described the personal abuse as 'relentless', including death threats in her DMs, people calling her a bad mother, and tagging brands she works with to demand she be dropped. 'Five days of that level of noise and it really takes its toll,' she said. 'I've seen a very dark side of social media as a whole, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.'
Her Side of the Story
Felstead explained that her PA was overseeing her son's birthday while she was on holiday. 'She reached out to a cake designer to see if they'd be interested in a gifting collaboration, which is a fairly standard approach in this industry. It was intended to be a simple enquiry. If it's not right for the business, they politely decline, and that's that.' She believes the email exchange was shared publicly and taken out of context.
Regarding the Funfetti situation, Felstead admitted fault: 'I didn't fully deliver on the social media agreement, and there's no excuse for it.' She claims that as soon as she was made aware, she arranged payment for the wedding cake. She also said she will be 'reaching out' to the bakers personally.
Impact and Moving Forward
The scandal has taken a toll on Felstead's mental health. Her husband cut a work trip short because she 'was mentally not in a great place'. Despite the backlash, Felstead insists she will continue influencing and using the 'gifted' approach, noting that she has received more collaboration offers since the incident.
'I think what this experience has shown us is just how exposed things can become very quickly, and that's something I need to be more conscious of as a parent,' she said.
