Luisa Zissman has posted swimsuit photos on Instagram while facing criticism over podcast comments calling people who eat McDonald's lazy sloths.
The Apprentice star, 39, posed for snaps in an off-white bikini on Friday while soaking up the sun amid her crusade against skinny shaming. She proudly showed off her crocheting skills after creating a yellow and white beach bag, before changing into a pink bikini while crocheting a matching pink bag on a sun lounger.
Her social media post comes after she doubled down on her views about fast food during an episode of her LuAnna podcast this week. Speaking on the show, Zissman expressed strong opinions about people who eat fast food.
"I think if you eat McDonald’s and fast food, that means you’re lazy," Zissman said. "I just feel like you’re lazy and unhealthy and you’re a sloth. I think badly about people that eat McDonald’s, especially McDonald’s breakfast, it’s just gross."
Podcast debate and fan reaction
During the podcast discussion, co-host Anna Williamson defended fast food breakfasts. "Sometimes though Lu, a little sausage McMuffin in the morning hits the spot," Williamson said.
Zissman refused to back down, replying: "It doesn't hit the spot, it's rank. It can't hit the spot, that cannot fuel you effectively for your day ahead."
The podcast hosts captioned the video clip of the debate: "Sorry if you're eating your McFlurry."
The remarks sparked outrage among McDonald's enthusiasts, who accused Zissman of being rude, patronising, and speaking from a position of privilege. Rather than addressing the backlash directly, Zissman uploaded her swimsuit photos to social media.
Social media users quickly criticized her stance in the comment section. One commenter wrote: "You don’t have to eat everything for fuel, you can eat food for pure enjoyment, this mindset is disordered;"
Another user commented: "I wish Luisa would try to get her point across in a less judgmental manner. She has such a superior attitude and is always so patronising;"
A third critic posted: "Coming from a rich person who doesn’t work all hours under the sun and can hire a private chef; Are people that have personal chefs, Nannie’s & cleaners lazy too?;"
A fourth user added: "It’s so easy when you’re talking from a place of privilege.; Use are really funny but it’s getting a bit rude now."
History of weight comments
Zissman's campaign against skinny shaming began last year after she shared a bikini selfie while on holiday. The post prompted negative comments regarding her weight, with one user branding the star "unhealthy and very malnourished."
Following the barrage of criticism, Zissman hit back at commentators and raised concerns about public health resources. She questioned why weight criticism appeared one-sided, stating: "NHS is being drained by obesity," while adding, "Imagine I went round calling of you biscuit-eating, McDonald's-loving, lazy people fatties."
School play controversy and apology
The fast food backlash is not the first time Zissman has faced criticism from followers in recent weeks. Earlier this month, she drew fire after stating on her podcast that she planned to skip her daughter's school play because she had a "s*** part" that was "not worth her time."
The podcast host had to publicly apologise to her daughter's school after finding out that her nine-year-old daughter, Indigo, and all of her teachers had seen the scathing comments online.
Zissman recalled the moment her daughter confronted her over the recording. Indigo asked her: "Mummy did you say my play was s***?"
Addressing the situation on her podcast, Zissman said: "I want to issue a public apology. I didn't want to go and watch Indigo's show but I think my rant was probably a bit aggressive, some might say, in its tone."
She detailed the conversation with her daughter: "Indigo went to me 'mummy did you say that my play was s***?' and I said well darling it wasn't that good was it? You didn't have a main part."
According to Zissman, Indigo replied: "well my friend's mummy saw a clip of you on Instagram and she showed my friend and my friend told me". Zissman said she responded: "well darling you know sometimes the reality of things is"...
Indigo then expressed embarrassment over returning to school. "She said 'I can't ever go back to that school now, it's good that we've got to go back to Dubai because I won't be able to go back to that school, because the teachers all watched that,'" Zissman revealed.
Apologising to the school staff, Zissman added: "Do you know what I don't want to take it away from the teachers, that clearly do work so hard at these things and it's not your fault that you're dealing with below par talent but yeah I just wanted to say sorry to the school. I was very stressed!"
Personal life and family
Zissman is married to businessman Andrew Collins. The couple share two daughters, ten-year-old Esme and nine-year-old Clemmie.
She is also mum to 16-year-old Dixie from her first marriage to Oliver Zissman.
