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A controversial middle-aged Welsh celebrity who presents programmes on BBC Cymru Wales (BBC CW) television and radio but complains that people focus on her “big bottom” objected to photographers gaining pictures of her as they stood on public pavements, yet herself posted revealing photographs on social media, it has emerged.
Carol Vorderman was said to be in tears and spoke of “harassment” when she spotted two photographers, one in front of her on the pavement and the other on the opposite side of the road before she drove from her home in Bristol to do her regular programme.
Ms Vorderman, who is aged 59, said on a video she shared: “This is what happens when you walk outside your home… This is what I call harassment”.
She was supposedly left “frightened” and ‘in tears’ after the incident.
On her radio programme she told listeners: “‘Morning lovelies hope you slept well. Thank you for being so supportive. In the great scheme of life and what’s going on in the world what happened yesterday is tiny BUT it’s after decades of abuse & nonsense. More activity here today with the authorities. I won’t be bullied.’
But the pictures these photographers tried to take came after she herself has shared two photographs posing in skimpy “home gym gear” to show how young she looks.
Ms Vorderman, originally from Prestatyn, is a regular feature in both UK and local newspapers, as well as on the internet, which is why the photographers were stationed near her house.
In MailOnline Ms Vorderman was said to have “incredible curves” and “incredibly smooth complexion” with her age prominently displayed.
These words, set alongside her age, are usually reserved for someone who has had plastic surgery.
Even so Ms Vorderman claims to be unhappy about her appearance, and has stated to newspapers: “One of the sad things is that people think I am only ever talking about the way I look. I just choose to pay no attention to it.
“I was a free school meals kid. I got to Cambridge from a comprehensive. That just didn’t happen in the 70s. Now I do a lot of work with kids from a similar background to me. I have my online maths school, I sell I-don’t-know-how-many education books a year. But that never gets talked about.”
“Instead it’s,`how big is her bottom?’”
Intriguingly, despite Ms Vorderman’s professed love of Wales, and being pictured in a tee-shirt emblazoned with the Welsh flag at a rugby stadium, she chooses to live in England.
But she has long been no stranger to controversy, and other Welsh ‘celebrities’ have also featured strongly.
A picture of another TV personality, this time completely naked, was sent to her and also put on social media.
The photograph was placed on Twitter by the headline-grabbing rugby presenter Jonathan Davies with the caption “Just for you Carol”.
She has also used Twitter to thank and send kisses to a contentious radio presenter in Wales who has re-tweeted the views of a controversial commentator who endorses burning holiday homes and setting the union flag alight.
Ms Vorderman said “Diolch Rhydian xx” to Rhydian Bowen Phillips who said on Twitter that it had been good to see her at BBC CW.
Yet Mr Phillips has enraged many listeners to his show on BBC Radio Cymru (BBC RC) after re-tweeting the comments of ‘Jac Jolly’ about the Welsh language, who has said on social media that he is proud cottages in Wales were burned down and tweeted that: “The UJ should be burnt despicable rag that it is” with an emoji of a burning flame following the remark.
It is clear that Ms Vorderman’s Twitter friend, Mr Phillips, holds extremely trenchant views himself and has also re-tweeted a comment claiming that a Brexiteer is “stupid”, as well as “A ruptured pustule on the anus of the country …and…I utterly despise you”.
He presents on BBC RC at Saturday lunch time, and was a guest during the wedding of BBC Wales Today (WT) and Radio Wales (RW) presenter Lucy Owen (Cohen) to fellow X-ray host Rhodri Owen, in 2004.
He has also been reported to the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for using abusive language on social media.
It seems Ms Vorderman may have used strong language as well, to the two photographers who were standing on a public road trying to get pictures of her.
Perhaps she was worried they could have concentrated on her ‘big bottom’.
Tomorrow – why the dangers of reporting conspiracy theories are more prevalent than ever during this lockdown.
The memories of our Editor Phil Parry’s extraordinary 36-year award-winning career in journalism as he was gripped by the incurable neurological condition Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a major book ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order the book now!
If you need something to keep the children entertained during these uncertain times (in Welsh) try Ffwlbart Ffred about the amusing stories of Ffred and his pet.
