Former Big Brother star Narinder Kaur has shocked Royal watchers after tweeting a ‘vicious’ critique of Princess Kate’s ‘ageing’ appearance – and it’s not the only time she’s sparked controversy.
Princess Kate yesterday (November 10) attended a Remembrance Sunday memorial service in London along with other senior members of the Royal family. Fans were delighted to see the princess out and about as she continues to make her slow return to duties after being declared cancer-free.
Taking to social media platform X, Narinder wrote: “Genuine question – why has Kate aged so much? Isn’t she only 42? Is she a smoker? It’s the only explanation.” Narinder’s question was met with complete horror by many followers, who felt it to be a particularly cruel remark given Kate’s recent health struggles.
Narinder, who has dealt with horrendous ‘sexual racist and violent abuse’ in the backlash that followed, later apologised for the comment, tweeting: “Ok. Seems people took this the wrong way. It was a genuine ask. My brother had chemo. He didn’t age. He died. Apologies if it was insensitive or just plain wrong. Hands up. I’m sorry.”
The original tweet has since been deleted, but the outrage has yet to die down. Here, the Mirror looks at Narinder’s fame journey so far, from Big Brother contestant to outspoken pundit.
Rise to fame – and Brian Dowling fall out
During an episode of Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch in 2022, Narinder opened up about the programme that made her name—the original run of Big Brother. Narinder appeared in the 2001 series, making history as the first British Indian person to appear in what was then Britain’s most talked-about reality show.
Explaining her reasoning for going into the famous house, Narinder confessed that she’d wanted ‘to be famous’. She admitted: “It was hard, it was actually really difficult… You’re like a no one, and then you become a household name. You’ve got all the press and negativity that came with it, it was actually really hard. And, of course, I’m from the Asian community so that became an even bigger deal.”
Celeb chef Simon Rimmer then asked Narinder whether she believed modern reality show contestants now have it tougher because of the additional fishbowl of 24/7 social media. Narinder replied: “Where they get trolled by social media, they also make money from social media. We were famous and poor, they’re famous and rich. We made no money, they’re making money. I’d rather be famous and rich than famous and poor, which is what we were.”
During her time in the house, Narinder struck up a close friendship with winner Brian Dowling, however, she has confirmed that they no longer speak. Narinder revealed: “I don’t talk to Brian anymore. We had a big fall out.” Clarifying that it was ‘too much to go into’, Narinder added: “I know people want us to make up, but we won’t be making up, no.”
On her official website, Narinder delved into detail about how Big Brother had changed her life forever, sharing: “I was just an ordinary 20-year-old married Indian girl. A Medical Rep but I craved more. Don’t you just sometimes be in bed willing your life to change? Feeling that there has to be more to this life? This simply can’t be it?
“I’d lie in bed wondering how at 26 I was married (still married btw) with a 9 to 5 and that was that! Don’t get me wrong… we had great jobs and a lovely first home and everything was hunky dory but that young Indian girl whose parents had come as immigrants from India to build a better future, that little girl has bigger dreams, that fire was simmering inside of me and just wouldn’t extinguish.”
Prior to entering the Big Brother house, Narinder had ‘tried her hand’ at acting, even appearing in a Bollywood film. However, she faced additional challenges as an Indian actress, including being typecast and difficulties getting opportunities. Big Brother offered the platform she’d been looking for to finally get her name out there.
In 2022, Narinder found herself at the centre of a heated row over England’s St George’s flag, which she argued ‘wasn’t inclusive’. During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, Narinder called for a new design, arguing: “Let’s get a new flag because that one is outdated. It represents far too much negativity in this country, I think we need a new day.”
She added: “St George is actually a representation of multiculturalism, and he’s a representation of tolerance, we should be more of a tolerant country. We are not that these days.”
This televised debate came about after former Apprentice contestant Thomas Skinner hit back at those asking him to take down a social media post celebrating St George’s Day. Taking a different view, Thomas, who appeared on GMB alongside Narinder, tweeted: “When did it become so bad to be proud of where your [sic] from? I’m proud I’m English. I love our culture.”
Narinder had to deal with the fury of viewers who threatened to ‘switch off’, with the debate sparking strong opinions on both sides of the debate. Undeterred, Narinder delved into the subject further in a follow-up tweet on X, asserting: “If a flag is SADLY aligned with far-right racists then I’m sorry it does NOT represent the best of Britain. We are better than that. We are multi-cultural, we are tolerant and that flag represents something sinister I’m sorry to say. Moderate voices need to reclaim it.”
Upskirting agony
Earlier this year, Narinder spoke of her horror after Laurence Fox, the founder of the right-wing populist political party Reclaim, shared an upskirting photograph of her, taken years before upskirting was made a criminal offence.
The photo had been taken down by photo agencies but was reportedly seen hundreds of times after Fox shared it via X, causing Narinder great distress. She tweeted at the time: “This is now a police matter. I know people are saying not to feel embarrassed and mortified but I am. I’m so incredibly upset that people are looking at my privates and laughing. It’s unimaginably mortifying.”
Narinder’s friend told the Mirror: “The fact that a standing politician like Laurence Fox would stoop to such lows is completely disgusting. Narinder has always been vocal about issues she cares about and while she’s endured horrendous backlash before, she never expected to become the target of such vicious attacks.
“It’s appalling that more high-profile figures, who Narinder regularly works with, haven’t spoken out in support of Narinder. But the truth is, they’re scared.”
Former actor Fox claimed he’d shared the picture in retaliation after Narinder mocked Conservative commentator Leilani Dowding ‘for her page three days’. He said: “She can go cry victim all she wants. It’s not my fault she forgot to put her pants on, the whining cry bully hypocrite.”
In response to this excuse, Narinder, who reported Fox to the police, told The Times: “Leilani called me a c**t on Twitter/X. Later, Fox accused me of criticising her for ‘getting her baps out’—his words. How anyone could think that about me is beyond belief.
“I’d never police another woman’s body. I post bikini selfies, I did OnlyFans (for two minutes), and I was in Big Brother over twenty years ago. I’ve faced relentless criticism for it all, but it’s my choice. I’d never shame anyone for doing Page 3. I’ve no issue with her ‘baps’. My problem is with her calling me a c**t and Fox posting that obscene image of me.”
Narinder reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police, revealing that she felt confident after they arrived within 20 minutes and took her statement seriously. However, she claimed to have felt ‘frustrated’ and ‘fobbed off’ after the officers’ initial response, claiming that she’d had ‘no update’.
Meanwhile, even though the explicit post has been removed, Navinder has still had to deal with trolls sending her screenshots, which she likened to being ‘assaulted every day’. Sharing the article via social media, Navinder took a firm stance, telling followers: “Whether I wear knickers or not is my choice. Whether I have an OF account OR NOT again – my choice. What isn’t my choice is being upskirted and certain men using that image to humiliate me on their platform.”
Princess Kate ‘privilege’
Following her initial tweet, Narinder angered Royal fans once again after taking aim at Princess Kate’s ‘privilege’.
Narinder tweeted: “She’s had near enough a year off work. Of course, it must take its toll, I know plenty of people who have been in hospital and out for pre-cancerous treatment, and they’re back at work.”
She continued: “People suffer all day long, and they work, and they have to work. My own brother worked up until weeks before he died. So, Kate does have a lot of privilege there. I’m not excusing my tweet. But what I’m saying is you’re all mad at me, but you’re not mad at the fact her husband and her father-in-law profit from cancer charities.”
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