Laura Hamilton, presenter of A Place In The Sun, has responded to criticism after sharing a playful video of herself gardening in a bikini on Instagram. The 44-year-old, known for her professional image on the Channel 4 property show for 14 years, said she wants followers to see more of her personality outside work.
Video sparks mixed reactions
Last week, Laura posted a tongue-in-cheek clip of herself tackling garden chores in a bikini and wellies, pruning hedges and dancing to music. She captioned it: “Trimming my bush… the glamorous side of gardening. Bikini, tractor, sunshine and a bit of hard work — what more could you ask for? What’s your favourite garden job… or the one you’d happily leave to someone else?”
The video gained praise from her 243,000 followers but also attracted negativity, as reported by the Daily Star.
Laura's response to trolls
Speaking about the backlash, Laura explained: "I've been doing property since I was 19 and you want to make sure that you come across in a serious way and people take you seriously with what you're putting out there. But equally, I don't want to take away from the fact of who I am. And, you know, I have got a fun side to my personality and it's finding that balance."
Soon after posting, a co-worker informed her about a message from someone who had unfollowed her. The email read: "We're not following Laura anymore because we were interested in her property renovation in Mallorca, but she just looks like she's messing around and being silly and we'd rather follow somebody that's more serious."
Laura, who recently witnessed a drowning after filming for the property show, said: "Somebody actually took the time to send that email. And I was like, 'You know what, don't even bother responding. Don't even give them the time of day'. The majority of people are very positive, but then you always get the negative Nancy's that are like, 'Oh, your kids must be so proud of you' and you're like, 'Don't follow me then'."
Staying positive and future plans
Despite the negativity, Laura remains positive and insists she doesn't let the haters bother her. Beyond A Place In The Sun, she runs her own YouTube channel dedicated to property, offering tips on buying, selling, refurbishing, and investing in homes. It also gives a glimpse into her personal renovation projects.
Discussing what's next, she revealed more filming is in progress for a new episode, joking: "It won't involve me in a bikini." Episodes of Property with Laura Hamilton are released every Friday at 5pm on her YouTube channel. Her new home brand, Laura Hamilton Home, will launch soon with curated wall art collections.
