Vanessa Feltz: This Morning star criticised for "irresponsible" comments about coeliac disease

TV presenter Vanessa Feltz has come under pressure from charities and campaign groups alike after making "irresponsible" comments about coeliacs.

Appearing on ITV's This Morning during a phone-in segment, Feltz spoke to a caller named Alison, who asked a question about cooking a gluten-free Christmas dinner thanks to her mother-in-law.

In coeliacs, the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This damages the surface of the small bowel (intestines), disrupting the body's ability to take in nutrients from food. As a result, their diet has to be gluten-free.

Feltz 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.

"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?"

Viewers hit out on social media following the presenter's comments, and it's caught the attention of campaign groups too.

Posting on X, Coeliac UK shared: "On ITV's @thismorning, coeliac disease was discussed during a phone in segment on the show. We are deeply concerned about the content and advice given to a caller attending a Christmas family event where all of the food will be gluten free to protect the health of a person with coeliac disease.

"We are actively following up with @ITV. You can read our open letter in the comments below, and will share any responses we receive. In the meantime we ask you to contact This Morning to ask them to give an apology to our gluten free community on air for this damaging and inaccurate information, and to engage with Coeliac UK to ensure their information is accurate in future."