Matt Richardson Labels TOWIE Star as 'Rudest Celebrity' Encounter
Former Xtra Factor presenter and radio host Matt Richardson has made startling claims about his experiences with celebrities, alleging that one star from The Only Way Is Essex was the rudest he has ever met. The 34-year-old comedian described working with this individual as a "nightmare", sparking widespread speculation about the identity of the reality TV personality in question.
Global Stars Versus Reality TV Personalities
Richardson, who rose to prominence hosting The Xtra Factor in 2013 before his Virgin Radio stint, shared his insights via TikTok on Sunday. He explained that throughout his career, he has frequently found that global A-list celebrities are among the nicest people he has encountered. In contrast, he suggested that those with lesser fame can sometimes exhibit more difficult behaviour.
"What you find with celebrities is the more famous they are, the nicer they are," Richardson stated. "That has always been my experience. So when you're meeting megastars of comedy, megastars of music, they're delightful, and that is why they're megastars. They make people feel special, and they make people feel seen and respected."
The 'Diva' Phenomenon Among British Reality Stars
The comedian elaborated on his observations about celebrity behaviour hierarchies. "The divas are the D-listers," he claimed. "Not all of them, obviously, there are some really nice people at every level. But you find it's the people who maybe their insecurity of where they sit in the scheme of things is what makes them not very pleasant so they're overcompensating by acting like a diva."
Richardson specifically pointed to British entertainment circles, stating: "There are some famous people who are a nightmare to work with in entertainment in Britain who have been TOWIE people and things like that." He did acknowledge positive experiences with other TOWIE stars, mentioning Amy Childs as "really lovely" and noting that "all those people are great."
Cryptic Clues Point to Gemma Collins
Despite refusing to name the individual directly, Richardson dropped significant hints about their identity. When asked about the rudest celebrity he's met, he responded: "There's one famous diva in that, where it is legitimate. She is a diva and not the good kind but I'm not going to say her name."
This prompted one social media user to inquire "The GC?" - a clear reference to Gemma Collins, who is widely known by those initials. Richardson's response was telling: he simply posted a zip-mouth emoji, strongly implying that Collins was indeed the subject of his criticism.
Gemma Collins first gained fame on The Only Way Is Essex before appearing on numerous other reality shows including Dancing on Ice, I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! and Celebs Go Dating. Her representatives have been contacted for comment regarding Richardson's allegations.
Contrasting Experiences with Major Stars
Richardson provided context by sharing positive experiences with internationally renowned artists. He specifically mentioned meeting music icon Mary J. Blige, describing her as "a lovely woman, really nice" despite initially feeling intimidated. "What a lovely woman, really nice," he recalled. "And I was quite intimidated to meet her. [She was] delightful!"
The presenter emphasised that most celebrities are pleasant to work with, stating: "99% of people are really nice. People tend to be lovely, it's a job, right? People treat it like that and it attracts a lot of really interesting people." He added that the entertainment industry brings together "people from different walks of life who have done different things," creating fascinating working environments despite occasional difficult personalities.
