Verity Bowditch has criticised celebrities for jetting off on holiday amid the global pandemic – and urges those flouting the rules to ‘stay at home.’
The Made In Chelsea star, 26, told MailOnline ‘I personally wouldn’t be going anywhere’, one day after it was revealed her fellow cast mates Zara McDermott, 24, and Sam Thompson, 28, flew to the Maldives over New Year.
Speaking exclusively, Verity voiced her compassion for the NHS and the ‘stress’ key workers are under as the UK faces its biggest challenge going into a third lockdown.
‘It is really important we listen’: Verity Bowditch has criticised celebrities for jetting off on holiday amid the global pandemic – and urges those flouting the rules to ‘stay at home’
She said: ‘It is really important at the moment that we listen to the news. We see the stress the NHS is under at the moment. It is through the roof, it is more than ever.
‘We have got to stay at home and we have got to listen to the rules. I personally wouldn’t be going anywhere during lockdown.
‘I am looking forward to going on holiday when we officially go and it is safe. Everyone really needs to listen to those rules and stay at home.’
Verity, who joined Made In Chelsea in 2019 and now has 142K followers, advised reality stars to be more cautious with the content they share online.
‘Stay at home’: Verity, who joined Made In Chelsea in 2019, told MailOnline she’s looking forward to going on holiday again once it is safe and in line with government guidelines
A lesson to learn: Verity’s words come after MailOnline revealed Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson had travelled to the Maldives to spend a romantic New Year’s together
She added: ‘I feel like anyone who is lucky enough to have a platform – you don’t just get given followers, you still have to work for them, you have got to be really wise with what message you want to put out.
‘You’ve really got to be careful what you put it out there and use it wisely.’
Verity’s words come after MailOnline revealed Zara and Sam had travelled to the Maldives to spend a romantic New Year’s together.
Spencer Matthews, 32, and wife Vogue Williams, 35, are also abroad, enjoying a holiday in St. Barts, while a flock of Love Island and TOWIE stars have jetted off despite rules coming into place banning travel from Tier 4 areas on December 20.
Flouting the rules: Former Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews and his wife Vogue Williams jetted out of Tier 4 London to St. Barts (Vogue pictured on Tuesday)
During the last series of Made In Chelsea, Verity was filmed in tears after discovering her friend Liv Bentley, 25, had started dating her ex-Tristan Phipps, 24.
The love triangle sparked upset in the cast, with Liv and Verity falling out over the uncomfortable situation.
Verity revealed she hasn’t spoken to Liv since and has refrained from keeping up with any Chelsea gossip.
She explained: ‘When you finish filming Made In Chelsea you keep yourself to yourself. You just want to have a break from the drama.
‘I don’t really know what is going on in anyone’s lives at the moment. I cut myself off from Made In Chelsea social media for a bit and trying to think in my own space.
‘Break from the drama’: Verity was filmed in tears on MIC after discovering her friend Liv Bentley had started dating her ex-Tristan Phipps – and the pair hasn’t spoken since
‘I don’t know what is going on for anyone else. Unless there’s a next series I’m not sure what is going to happen. Moving forward, all the drama that happened last year, we are leaving it there and things are sort of tied up.’
Verity has started 2021 by becoming the co-owner of new brand Clean Kitchen Club, which is a plant based, sustainable food business in London.
After growing up surrounded by animals on a farm in Dorset, and last year becoming a Pilates instructor, Verity has focussed her life on clean living – and now she’s keen to spread the message.
She said: ‘I have been a vegetarian my whole life and as soon as I became educated about factory farming, the more I had to go completely vegan.
On a mission: Verity has started 2021 by becoming the co-owner of new brand Clean Kitchen Club, which is a plant based, sustainable food business in London
Veganuary: Verity explained Clean Kitchen has launched a 6-week lockdown challenge and will offer a new menu to expand on their original concept of grab and go meat-free burgers
‘So now, I have become a partner of Clean Kitchen Club and we’ve been working behind the scenes for months. Opening and staffing a start up business in lockdown – it’s tough.
‘But we have just opened two more sites in Boxpark and Battersea, so it’s amazing we have done so much with the business.
Verity explained Clean Kitchen has launched a 6-week lockdown challenge and will offer a new menu next week that aims to expand on their original concept of grab and go meat-free burgers.
She added: ‘We have started a Clean Kitchen club – there’s a different challenge every week and we already have so many subscribers when we only launched yesterday. It is free to join as well.
Good energy: Verity’s ultimate aim is for the business to be carbon free, as well as expanding her collaborative work with charities Compassion in World Farming and One Tree Planted
‘We are launching a new menu that is coming out next week, the Cook ‘N’ Clean menu. We launched as grab and go burgers but going into the new menu, there are so many good things on there.
‘We are announcing our first charity, Compassion in World Farming that basically stops factory farming. I know we can’t stop everyone from eating meat.
‘People are still going to eat meat, I know that, I don’t want to preach, each to their own, everyone has their own life but if you’re going to do it, do it in a more ethical manner.
‘We’re also on a mission to become carbon natural so we’re working with One Tree Planted, so every meal you order; you plant a tree in Ghana, which is awesome.’
- Verity has joined plant based food brand Clean Kitchen, available exclusively on Deliveroo across London