Ulrika Jonsson has hit back at Nadiya Hussain's claims that she was dropped by the BBC for being "too Muslim," dismissing the claims in a no-holds-barred column.
The television presenter, who has worked in broadcasting for 38 years, wrote that being Muslim was categorically not the reason Ms Hussain lost her cookery programme.
"I beg your pudding?" Jonsson sarcastically quipped in response to Ms Hussain's assertions.
She argued that television has undergone a significant transformation, with diversity now properly represented on British screens following decades of campaigning.
Ulrika Jonsson has been a familiar face on screens since the 1990s | GETTY"Diversity is finally on the menu and it is a much healthier portrayal of our modern society," Ms Jonsson stated.
The former Gladiators host added that as a white middle-aged woman, she has accepted taking "a backseat" to make room for greater representation.
Ms Jonsson pointed to claims that had emerged suggesting Ms Hussain's departure was linked to uninspiring recipes and reports that she had become challenging to collaborate with.
"No idea if any of that's true, but it fits with my brief encounter with her," the columnist wrote.
Nadiya Hussain worked with the BBC for the best part of a decade | BBCShe recounted meeting Hussain in a television green room years ago, having been excited after watching her win the Great British Bake Off in 2015 alongside her daughters.
"I was disappointed to find her quite dismissive with a seeming sense of entitlement about her," Ms Jonsson alleged, writing in The Sun.
The 57-year-old went on to caution "fame-hungry" individuals who achieve sudden celebrity status that stardom is never guaranteed to last.
"Most will be very lucky, indeed, if it lasts longer than 15 minutes," she observed.
Nadiya Hussain was the face of a number of BBC cooking shows | BBCLATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Ms Jonsson acknowledged that Ms Hussain possesses cooking talent and appeal, but insisted the television industry owes her nothing.
"I don't sit at home with my pity pot wondering why I'm no longer being 'chosen'," she wrote as she drew parallels with her own career trajectory.
The columnist described Ms Hussain's public complaints as "embarrassing" and delivered a pointed suggestion.
"Perhaps she would consider shutting her cakehole before she alienates people even more," Ms Jonsson concluded.
Ulrika Jonsson called Nadiya Hussain's complaints 'embarrassing'
| GETTYShe emphasised that change remains constant in the entertainment world, with tastes evolving and new personalities continually emerging.
"Many good things come to an end," she noted, adding that reality television stars frequently see their appeal fade when it "lacks longevity."
Ms Jonsson's comments come after Ms Hussain spoke out in recent weeks about her BBC departure, telling one interviewer she dreamed of cooking on television into old age like Mary Berry but felt this was impossible because she is "not white."
The 41-year-old, who won the Great British Bake Off in 2015, said Muslim women in television lack longevity and described feeling like "a token" whose space eventually disappears once "the box has been ticked."
Ulrika Jonsson promoted her column on social media
|She also claimed to The Guardian that she receives lower pay than white presenters performing equivalent roles.
"I get paid less to do the same job as the white version of me," Ms Hussain stated.
Good Morning Britain presenter Adil Ray was one public figure who offered an opposing view to Ms Jonsson's.
Along with Countryfile's Anita Rani, ITV Lorraine doctor Amir Khan, and a few others, the Good Morning Britain presenter publicly backed her claims, suggesting it was a "sad reality" for many in the industry.
GB News has contacted Ms Hussain's representatives for comment.