Kirstie Allsopp blasts 'humourless' Brexit Brits as she quits Twitter, but insists: 'Utility rooms aren't just for rich people'
Kirsty Allsopp has announced she has quit Twitter, five days after she was “attacked and mocked” on the site for suggesting keeping a washing machine in the kitchen was “disgusting”.
The Location, Location, Location host was pilloried after she agreed with the view that washing machines should be relegated to the bathroom, hall or airing cupboard or “ a tiny laundry room”.
I'm over and out, it's been a blast but enough is enough.
— Kirstie Mary Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) July 12, 2017
Allsopp was forced to defend her remarks after she was swiftly branded “out of touch” and “ snobby”.
It is disgusting,” she wrote. “My life's work is in part dedicated to getting washing machines out of the kitchen,” before adding: “Please note there is a degree of humour in this debate, no need to take it quite so seriously.
Then, with the row showing little sign of abating after several days, she announced: “I'm over and out, it's been a blast but enough is enough”.
So much dislike for @KirstieMAllsopp and her snobby opinions! Ill continue to feed my kids fish fingers and do my washing in the kitchen ����
— Charlotte Beer (@CharCharBeer) July 12, 2017
On Sunday Allsopp used the pages of The Guardian to describe how “what started as a fun debate provoked blind fury.
“I was immediately attacked and mocked for talking about “first-world problems”, and failing to understand that most people lack the space to house a washing machine anywhere other than in their kitchen.
“Well, despite a privileged upbringing, I am not unaware of the lack of space in many homes.
“True, I was brought up in a house with a utility room; it was also where the dogfood was kept, and loads of other spare bits and bobs that many people keep in their garages, sheds, lean-tos, downstairs toilets, etc. Utility rooms are a luxury, but they are by no means the preserve of the rich.
Allsopp went on link Briton’s apparent insistence on keeping their washing machine in the kitchen with last year’s vote to leave the EU.
“Britain is one of the few countries where people have the habit of keeping washing machines in the kitchen, She wrote.
YouGov is now polling on the location of washing machines according to political allegiance. Some left/right split. pic.twitter.com/tpKdC8HGas
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) July 12, 2017
“But if it wasn’t clear to me from the Brexit referendum, it is very clear to me now that the British think the way we do things is the right way – better than anyone else’s. And if you point out that something we do is peculiar, you had better brace yourself. Because it doesn’t go down well”.
Allsopp’s Twitter profile now describes her as a “working Mum & Stepmum who's incredibly blessed and no longer on Twitter”.
But she hasn’t abandoned followers entirely. Since ‘quitting’ she has re-tweeted a job advertisement for a housing charity, and another in support of the World Wildlife Fund.