GORDON RAMSAY - RAMSAY BRANDED 'LOW LIFE' BY AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER

RAMSAY BRANDED 'LOW LIFE' BY AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER

Celebrity chef GORDON RAMSAY has apologised for insulting a beloved Australian TV personality after Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD branded him a "new form of low life".
The foul-mouthed chef caused a stir at the weekend (begs06Jun09) during an appearance at the Good Food and Wine Show in Melbourne, when he publicly likened TV interviewer Tracy Grimshaw to a pig and insinuated she was a lesbian in front of a 3,000-strong crowd.
Grimshaw, who hosted Ramsay on her show A Current Affair last Friday (05Jun09), followed suit by branding the chef an "arrogant narcissist", prompting Rudd to applaud the on-air personality for her cutting remarks.
Rudd told Fairfax radio, "I think I can describe his remarks as reflecting a new form of low life. I just drew breath when I saw the sort of stuff which was said about her, I just think that's off and offensive. Good on Tracy Grimshaw for coming out and giving him a left uppercut."
But Ramsay is blaming the rowdy audience for his "off the cuff" comments.
His spokesperson says: "Gordon was giving a live cooking demonstration at the Australian BBC Good Food Show last weekend in front of a large and boisterous audience. His comments relating to Tracy Grimshaw, who had interviewed Gordon the previous evening, were off the cuff and in response to heckling from the audience. His intention was to make a joke and indeed he did raise a big laugh at the time.
"However, with hindsight, he realises that his comments were inappropriate and offensive to Tracy Grimshaw, and he has unreservedly apologised both to her and anybody else who may have been upset."