Binky Felstead has been thrust into the centre of a fresh influencer storm after a luxury cake maker publicly accused her team of trying to secure a free birthday cake in exchange for Instagram promotion — and the fallout has only grown more brutal.
The Made In Chelsea star’s personal assistant reportedly contacted Reshmi Bennett, founder of Anges de Sucre, requesting a “gifted” yellow train cake for her son Wilder’s third birthday, offering an Instagram story to her 1.4 million followers in return.
But Reshmi — who has repeatedly slammed influencers for expecting freebies — wasn’t having it.
After attempting to turn the enquiry into a paid order by asking for a budget, she was met with a follow-up message pushing for a collaboration instead, with the cake provided free in exchange for exposure.
Rather than snapping back, the baker took a different route — warning about the “optics” of a wealthy celebrity asking for a free product, and suggesting it might look better if Binky simply paid.
The response from Binky’s team admitted she had made “a valid point about optics” and said they would check whether the star was happy to cover the cost.
But before any deal could be agreed, Reshmi took the conversation public — sharing screenshots of the exchange and later naming Binky directly, igniting a wave of backlash.
And then came the move that sent the internet into meltdown.
In a savage swipe, the baker launched a spoof GoFundMe page asking for £1.4 million — a pointed nod to both Binky’s estimated fortune and her 1.4 million followers — joking that if each follower donated £1, the cake could be made.
In a biting caption, she quipped that while the cake request sounded “a joy,” there was “just one small hiccup… the proposed payment method was an Instagram story,” before adding that her energy supplier stubbornly refuses to accept “exposure” as legal tender.
Binky’s representatives later insisted the request was a routine “contra” deal handled by her PA and stressed that the star herself was not directly involved, saying these collaborations are common and often mutually beneficial.
However, they also admitted being “disheartened” that what they described as a “friendly enquiry” had been shared publicly.
The row has since reignited debate around influencer culture — and whether social media reach really justifies expecting products for free.
And with the £1.4 million cake stunt now going viral, one thing is clear: this wasn’t just a simple birthday request… it’s become a full-blown PR headache.
