Complaints hit 56 as Jordan to take action over Heat stunt

by Darren Davidson, Brand Republic 29-Nov-07, 09:00

LONDON - Jordan, the former glamour model and reality TV star, is to complain to the Press Complaints Commission and is considering legal action over a sticker in Heat magazine that mocked her disabled son.

The PCC has now received 56 complaints from members of the public, up from yesterday's 30, about the sticker, which read "Harvey wants to eat me!", and Jordan, aka Katie Price, is reported to be furious, and ready to make a complaint and sue the Emap title.

A source quoted by the Daily Star said: "Kate was very upset at first, but now she is fuming."

The stunt has been attacked by disabled groups, who have said that mocking the disabled in print only entrenches prejudice.

Jordan, who has been on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' and once attempted to appear in the 'Eurovision Song Contest', is currently presenting a chat shown on ITV2 called 'Katie and Peter Unleashed' with her husband Peter Andre.

Her son Harvey was born with a rare disorder called septo-optic dysplasia, which causes blindness and growth hormone deficiency among a range of other medical problems such as visual impairment and weight gain.

The complaints have expressed concern that the sticker is prejudicial to Harvey's illness, raising the possibility that it breaks clause 12 in the PCC's code of practice concerning discrimination in relation to physical or mental illness or disability.

Emap, the publisher of Heat, has also received a small number of complaints.

Yesterday, a spokesman for the PPC said the organisation had contacted a representative of Jordan to make her aware of the complaints. They also informed the intermediary that the PCC would need Price's involvement to proceed with an investigation.

However, the PCC may still decide to launch an investigation even if Price declines to become involved.

The sticker was given away free with this week's Heat magazine. Other stickers in the issue included Will Young with a comedy chin, Britney Spears above the headline "Mum of the year", and a picture of Posh Spice asking "Will you fucking smile?"

Emap issued a statement on behalf of Mark Frith, the editor-in-chief of Heat, in which he said that "no offence was intended, but if any was caused we would like to apologise".

It is understood Frith has spoken personally to Price's management team and that he would be writing a letter to Price and her husband to repeat that personally.

Liz Sayce, the chief executive of disability group Radar, said that bullying of disabled people, especially children was widespread and that mocking people in print only helped to entrench prejudice.

She said: "Heat magazine should know better."

Comments

Sally Silver - 29/11/2007

Totally wrong on Heat's part butbloody rich coming from Price - how much cash has she creamed off her disabled son for every spurious "Harvey slipped on a Mars Bar and broke his arm. Read my heartbreaking story" trash tale. It's digusting. Enraged of Tooting Bec.

Philippa Mathers - 30/11/2007

Heat clearly wrong to put the sticker. But Jordan clearly a hypocrite if she pursues. Dismayed of Tooting

Peter Petrelli - 03/12/2007

Ditto to all the above. Thank god its not just me that has noticed that everytime im in the local tesco express (booo) there will always be a front page of some shitty magazine (that feels it has to have an exclamation mark at the end of the title to make it 'funky') with Jordan/Katie holding her poor son up in the air with some self centred headline like 'My fear that Harvey might grow up to be a vegetarian' or 'The pain I felt when Harvey lost an important lego piece'. She must have made millions out of that son of hers, Im sure shes putting it all into a big bank account for him when he grows up. Anyway, wheres Dwight Yorke in all this? That aside Heat and Emap really cocked up, who thought that would not get complaints? Not really clever for a big publishing house to poke fun at a 5 year old with diabilities.