Binky Felstead, star of Made in Chelsea, faces accusations from two London bakery owners who claim she or her team requested luxury cakes for free in exchange for social media exposure, then failed to deliver on promises.
First Bakery Owner’s Viral Claim
Reshmi Bennett, owner of luxury cake business Anges de Sucre, shared screenshots on Instagram revealing exchanges with Felstead’s personal assistant. The request was for a bespoke yellow train cake for her son Wilder’s third birthday, offered as “gifted” in return for an Instagram story post from Felstead’s 1.4 million followers.
Bennett attempted to discuss pricing and details, but the team pushed for a collaboration without payment. She expressed disappointment, noting Felstead’s wealth and suggesting payment would improve the optics. The team acknowledged the point and promised to consult Felstead.
Bennett then posted the screenshots publicly and created a satirical GoFundMe page seeking £1.4 million—one pound from each follower—to cover the cake, mocking the idea of exposure as payment. She highlighted her business’s rejection of Instagram tags over actual money, amid rising costs.
Second Bakery Owner Shares 2021 Experience
Commenting on Bennett’s post, the owner of Funfetti London detailed a similar incident from 2021. Felstead allegedly direct messaged her, praising the cakes and requesting both a wedding cake and her daughter’s birthday cake in exchange for Instagram tags and a mention in her Hello! magazine feature.
The baker, then running a side hustle, agreed despite sensing a freebie request. She waived travel fees of £25 and £50 after Felstead replied, “I usually charge £2k for a story and £5k for a grid post… so I’d really want everything inclusive.”
On a hot summer day, the baker delivered nine layers of sponge and buttercream, assembling the wedding cake at Felstead’s home. Felstead thanked her and promised tags and team follow-up. Months of follow-ups yielded silence until a belated reply: “Not sure how I missed this! I’ll get the Hello images and can post it too—send me your invoice!” No payment or posts followed.
The owner wrote in her comment: “RESHMIIIIII I WANT TO SCREAM! I actually fell for Binky Felstead’s BS back in 2021… Exposure doesn’t pay bills. Ever.” She shared a 2021 video of the cake assembly inside Felstead’s home.
Response from Felstead’s Team
A representative for Felstead stated: “This was a standard contra enquiry from Binky’s PA, offering social media exposure in exchange for a birthday cake. Binky was not directly involved in these email exchanges, and is currently away on a family holiday.”
They added: “We completely understand that this type of collaboration is not for everyone and respect the decision to decline. It is, however, disappointing to see a private and friendly enquiry shared publicly, and contra deals like this are widely used within this industry and usually mutually beneficial.”
The team emphasized Felstead’s child-focused Instagram content drives high engagement, benefiting businesses by reaching new audiences. They apologized for the contact, insisting no offense was intended.
