Kirstie Allsopp defends decision to film in Devon during lockdown after accusations she put locals at risk

Presenter said she is ‘proud’ of craft show despite criticism

Kirstie Allsopp in 2019 (Getty Images)

Kirstie Allsopp has hit back at critics who accused her of putting Devon residents at risk by filming her show Keep Crafting and Carry On during lockdown.

The presenter brought a TV crew to her home in Devon to shoot the Channel 4 show, but some locals had complained it was “highly irresponsible” to do so during the coronavirus pandemic.

In response, Allsopp tweeted: “What I HATE about this is that making #KeepCraftingCarryon was only positive, it kept people in work, it provided something new and engaging to watch, so many families saw it and enjoyed making the crafts, why do people have to make bad out of good?!”

After receiving support from fans online, Allsopp added: “I now know for certain that many of you felt filming at home as we did, within strict protocols, was the right thing to do. #Craftmatters, Entertaining TV matters, and I’m proud of what we did.”

Allsopp is not the only presenter who has come under fire since the UK went into lockdown.

In March, James Martin was forced to defend his ITV cooking show Saturday Morning after receiving “abuse” from viewers over its apparent lack of social distancing. The episode had in fact been filmed long before the rules were put in place.

Ross Kemp’s recent ITV documentary On the NHS Frontline also provoked an angry reaction from some viewers over its perceived invasiveness, with one critic claiming the presenter and broadcaster were “acting like vultures” by filming in an intensive care unit.