Amanda Holden wasn’t impressed when her Heart Breakfast co-star Jamie Theakston appeared to make an indirect dig at the Beckhams during a showbiz segment on the radio show
Amanda Holden firmly told her Heart Breakfast co-host Jamie Theakston to “stop it” during a live broadcast after he made an indirect jibe at David and Victoria Beckham and their brood.
On the showbiz segment yesterday (Wednesday, June 4) Ashley Roberts, formerly of the Pussycat Dolls, dished out some juicy gossip about one of HBO’s The White Lotus stars.
The news centred around Patrick Schwarzenegger, who portrays Saxon Ratliff in the acclaimed third season of the series and is also the offspring of Hollywood icon and ex-Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Despite being 31 years old, Patrick is determined to carve out his own niche in the industry and distance himself from the stigma of being a “nepo baby”. Ashley revealed that despite his reservations, he was advised against changing his famous surname.
Amanda chimed in with her take on the matter: “I tell you what I’m not enjoying, I’m not enjoying that whole nepo baby, nepo baby. It’s everywhere. It’s like the latest craze that the press are using,” reports Gloucestershire Live.
“For people’s children that are actually doing really well off their own backs – and I’m not including mine in this, I’m just saying – do you know what I mean?”
Nepo baby (nepotism baby) has become a commonly used term to describe an individual who enjoys success due to familial connections, perhaps as a result of being related to a celebrity.
Jamie joined the conversation, suggesting that the label “takes away from their efforts”. Ashley contributed by mentioning that Patrick had expressed a deep passion for acting and had dedicated “so much time and so much effort” to perfecting his craft.
Amanda quipped: “If you’re not talented, it doesn’t matter who you’re related to, you will not make it.”
Jamie then said that he could think of a “couple of examples” where the offspring of celebrities might challenge her statement, leading Amanda to press him for names.
With a hint of mischief, Jamie suggested “maybe a Beckham”, to which Amanda swiftly retorted: “Stop it! I won’t have their names sullied on this show.” Ashley, sensing they were treading on thin ice, quickly tried to steer the conversation away, proposing they “abort this mission”.
The Beckham clan has indeed been no stranger to such controversies. In 2024, Cruz Beckham, the third eldest child of David and Victoria, faced criticism after sharing a snippet of his music on Instagram.
One commenter insinuated that his success was down to “mega money and training”, prompting Cruz to respond with: “Not at all. Just a guitar”. Yet, as the scrutiny intensified, he controversially said that “Jesus was also a nepo baby,” only to erase the comment within less than half a day.
Brooklyn Beckham, the couple’s oldest child, has similarly been labelled a ‘nepo baby’. In an interview with Grazia, he admitted to his privileged birth but insisted that “couldn’t help” how he came into the world.
He added: “There’s always going to be people that say rubbish. But as long as you do something that makes you happy and you’re kind to people, that’s all that matters.”