Posing by the pool with a glass of champagne in her beautifully manicured hand, Made In Chelsea’s Binky Felstead could not seem more at ease.
In Dubai with her wealthy husband, Max Darnton, and their three young children, she is clearly making the most of all that the luxurious five-star Banyan Leaf hotel and its stunning beach can offer.
How do I know? Well, like every one of her 1.4million Instagram followers, all I’ve had to do is open up my phone.
In fact, virtually every aspect of 35-year-old Binky’s break is laid bare, along with the caption: ‘I thought there was something missing… but turns out I just needed a holiday.’
Yet the holiday – like so many Binky has taken over the last 12 months – was a freebie, gifted to her in return for a favourable post on her social media account. In recent months there has been a stay at the five-star Boca Raton hotel and private members’ club in Florida, plus a trip to Disney World in Orlando for her, Max and their children.
There was a mini-break in New York, where she stayed at the elegant Lowell hotel, a cruise with P&O, which took her to several locations including Malta. Then there was a little pick-me-up break at the luxury glamping safari lodges, The Nest, in Lincolnshire. Oh, and not forgetting the stay at the £500-a-night Beaverbrook hotel in Surrey Hills, as well as a sojourn at the Four Seasons in Hampshire, where her children went horse riding while she indulged in free massages and a ‘spicy marg or two’.
Even a £12 trip on London’s River Thames seemed too much to shell out for, seeing as it was courtesy of Citycruises.
Even the most cynical may have been shocked to discover how many aspects of Binky Felstead’s life she expects for free
Binky was recently called out for asking the owner of luxury cake business for a ‘gifted’ yellow train cake for her toddler Wilder’s third birthday in return for an Instagram post
All well and good, you may think. But even the most cynical may have been shocked to discover how many other aspects of Binky’s life she also expects for free.
Step forward Reshmi Bennett, owner of luxury cake business Anges de Sucre in west London.
On Friday she called out Binky for asking for a ‘gifted’ yellow train cake for her toddler Wilder’s third birthday. The cake was ‘big enough to serve ten’, which she wanted gratis in return for posting a picture of it on Instagram.
Wittily sticking the knife in, Reshmi set up a mock GoFundMe campaign with a goal of £1.4million – a reference to Binky’s 1.4million followers – called ‘Raise Funds for Binky Felstead’s 3-Year-Old’s Birthday Cake’.
Accompanying an AI image of the requested train, Reshmi posted: ‘We recently received a lovely request from the team of Binky Felstead for a very special cake – a yellow train creation for her soon-to-be three-year-old son.
‘We were genuinely thrilled. Children’s cakes are some of our favourites to make and this one sounded like a joy and that too for such a popular reality TV star.
‘However, there was just one small hiccup… the proposed payment method was an Instagram story. Now, we completely understand that times are tough, especially for influencers…
‘Unfortunately, our energy supplier is very old-fashioned and continues to insist on being paid in actual money rather than exposure or engagement.’
Even more embarrassing for Binky, it also emerged that she had approached the owner of Funfetti London in 2021, asking the baker to make her a wedding and birthday cake in exchange for posts on her Instagram account. The cake maker claims she duly obliged, only to find herself ghosted. Even her £75 travel costs were turned down.
Even more embarrassing for Binky, it also emerged that she had approached the owner of Funfetti London in 2021, asking the baker to make her a wedding and birthday cake in exchange for posts on her Instagram account
‘Life is a dream for Binky,’ says one of her former associates. ‘She loves a freebie. In fact you’d think she doesn’t like to pay for anything. If you look at all those holidays, you have to wonder if she has any time left to work. It is becoming disgusting these days. Reality stars expect small companies to give them free stuff in return for a plug.’
But a spokesman for Binky said: ‘Deals like this are widely used within this industry and usually mutually beneficial.’
Indeed, Binky is not alone in her eagerness to cash in. Her friends and fellow Made In Chelsea stars Ollie and Gareth Locke, who yesterday whinged about their mental health after failing to pay £25,000 rent on their £4million house in Chelsea, are known for a love of freebies.
So is Millie Mackintosh, also one of the Made In Chelsea alumni. Other big liggers include Denise Van Outen, Stacey Solomon and former Strictly star Pete Wicks.
‘These people think they are above paying for anything,’ says a showbiz agent. ‘They think they should be handed stuff for free. Nobody seems to see how grotesque it looks. They are just straight up and down grifters.’
Sources close to Binky lectured me yesterday on how small firms are keen to work with her for publicity. They said they couldn’t understand why Reshmi had turned down such an opportunity.
Still, the reality is that what Binky wants, she is inclined to get. The refurbishment of her new home is proof that she rarely gets turned down.
Her bedroom, living room, dining room and barn are decked out with furniture from Oka – a company she mentions several times on social media.
Her downstairs loo is thanks to Drummonds Bathrooms, while the bathroom tiles, flooring and paint are from Fired Earth.
It’s unlikely she pays for much of her food shopping either, as she has a deal with M&S, which provides her with many of her meals.
‘Nice, if you can get it,’ mused one of her friends. ‘She literally has no shame.’
When I called Binky’s spokesman to see if she wanted to comment, he told me she was on holiday. He didn’t specify if she had paid for it, though that will undoubtedly become apparent if she posts about it on Instagram.
