Molly-Mae hits back over 'Thatcherite' privilege comments row
7 January 2022, 12:23 | Updated: 7 January 2022, 12:24
Influencer Molly-Mae Hague has defended "tone deaf" comments she made about privilege and hard work which critics have branded dismissive of those from poorer economic backgrounds.
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Speaking on an episode of The Diary of a CEO podcast, Molly-Mae said: "You’re given one life and it’s down to you what you do with it. You can literally go in any direction.
"When I've spoken in the past I've been slammed a little bit, with people saying 'it's easy for you to say that, you've not grown up in poverty, you've not grown up with major money struggles, so for you to sit there and say we all have the same 24 hours in a day is not correct'.
"And I'm like, but technically what I'm saying is correct – we do.
"So I understand we all have different backgrounds and we're raised in different ways and have different financial situations, but if you want something enough you can achieve it and it just depends to what lengths you want to go to get to where you want to be in the future."
Read more: 'Thatcher with fake tan': Molly-Mae Hague slammed for comments on privilege
Economist Duncan Weldon blasts influencer Molly Mae's 'out of touch' comments
Her team has since released a statement in response to the backlash online, saying Molly was only discussing her own experience.
Yes, there are technically 24 hours in everyone’s day. Molly Mae’s fortunate that hers aren’t being used up dealing with the consequences of poverty, disability or discrimination - and then packages this unearned privilege as her own ‘hard work’. Girlbossing it!
— Harriet Williamson (@harriepw) January 7, 2022
The statement, given to the Metro, said: "Her opinion on if you want something enough you can work hard to achieve it is how she keeps determined with her own work to achieve more in her own life.
"Molly is not commenting on anyone else’s life or personal situation she can only speak of her own experience.
"She acknowledges that everyone is raised in different ways and from different backgrounds but her comments here are in reference to timing, hard work and determination in her own life."
Read more: Millions set to be pulled into higher tax bands in 'stealth tax raid'
Her comments were widely mocked on social media, with users sharing the clip with captions such as "If you're homeless just buy a house" and "You already have the same number of hours in the day as Beyoncé, so there's literally nothing stopping you from already having £1million in the bank".
Molly Mae did an interview on my podcast, yesterday a soundbite from that interview went viral, she trended No.1 on Twitter, every newspaper covered it and MP's weighed in.
— Steven Bartlett (@SteveBartlettSC) January 7, 2022
I've had male guests say what she said.
No one cared.
But when Molly says it, she's crucified? Crazy.
Since the backlash, the host of the podcast Steven Bartlett has jumped to the influencer's defence.
Read more: Thousands of Brits face cost of living 'disaster': Labour hammers PM over soaring prices
He said: "I've had male guests say what she said. No one cared.
"But when Molly says it, she's crucified? Crazy.
"I've become very aware of the double standard that successful women face."
Callers to LBC have had mixed reactions to the star's comments, with one caller branding her "out of touch".
Molly-Mae, 22, appeared on reality TV show Love Island, finishing as runner up. She has since been appointed as creative director of fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing.
The star has 6.3million followers on Instagram.
