Pop Buzz UK

Heat magazine sparked controversy last week by giving away 50 stickers with each issue, one of which showed Katie Price’s (aka Jordan’s) son Harvey with goggle eyes, and the words “Harvey wants to eat me!” on it.

For those who don’t know, Katie Price, now married to that pansy Peter Andre after they met on ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here‘, had Harvey, before finding out that he suffered from a rare genetic disorder called septo-optic dysplasia, which causes him to gain weight. This sticker is taking the piss out of Harvey’s weight, and so by default is also taking the piss out of his disability.

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) received 56 complaints over the sticker set, which also included other comedy stickers such as a picture of Britney Spears next to the headline “Mum of the year,” and a picture of Victoria Beckham asking “Will you fucking smile?”

The magazine has apologised by issuing the following statement:

“We now accept the decision to include this sticker was a mistake and we recognise that it has caused offence, not only to Katie and Peter Andre, but to a number of readers. Immediately following publication, we apologised unreservedly to Katie and Peter. We wish to apologise publicly to Harvey, Katie and Peter for any embarrassment and distress caused.”

This isn’t enough for Katie though, as she has promised to complain to the PCC about the magazine.

In an interview with The Daily Star she said:

“How did they sit in their editorial meeting and justify making fun of a five-year-old child who can’t even talk? People can take the mickey out of me and Pete - we’re grown-ups and can answer back. But we are talking about a little boy who’s disabled.

“I get the mickey taken, but if you involve my kids, I’ll protect them. This is cruel and shows they’re totally ignorant about Harvey’s condition. They are making out he’s fat because he is greedy and eats all the time, but his size is due to his thyroid not working properly.

“So they are attacking him because he’s disabled. What are they going to mock him for next - skin colour? They’re saying it’s fine to take the piss out of a disabled child. Well, I’m saying it’s not.”

I feel really sorry for Harvey in all this, as he can’t help either what he has wrong with him, or who his parents are. But there’s no doubt that Heat magazine wouldn’t have ever contemplated doing this if Katie Price wasn’t such a media savvy celebrity in the first place.

She’d be the first to sell a story of something Harvey has been up to if she thought she could get a good price for it. I’m not excusing the magazine, because they were wrong, but maybe this will teach Jordan not to splash her whole private life over any glossy magazine that will pay her for the privilege.

Picture Source

Heat, Katie Price, Jordan, Peter Andre, Harvey, Harvey wants to eat me, Dysplasia, UK, British, PCC, Daily Star