Jamie Oliver calls journalist "b----h" for commenting on his weight

New York, Mar 9 (ANI): Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver called a female journalist a "b----h" for commenting on his weight gain while he was promoting healthy eating at an event.

The British chef drank a beer as he spoke to an audience about responsible eating during an engagement at the Wheeler Centre on March 6 in Melbourne, Australia.

According to Herald Sun, Oliver, 36, responded to the lady journalist at ABC News in Australia for calling attention to his recent weight gain.

"Thank you for noticing," he responded, only half in jest, before calling her the insulting name.

Oliver, who was in Australia to promote his partnership with government to address obesity, said that keeping trim while working in the food industry is no easy task.

"I eat fresh. I train twice a week. I could definitely do better, but I am trying to do my best like most people when they hit 30," the New York Daily News quoted him as saying in his defense.

He later said his crude response was the result of a hangover, and not hurt feelings.

"I went out last night and had a few drinks after a very long day, [and] my brain did not quite understand that question," he said.

His spokesperson told ABC that he had not gained any weight and blamed some unflattering photos that had been taking upon his arrival in Australia.

Oliver's efforts to bring healthy food to the masses have made him a household name both in the US and abroad.

The chef created "Jamie's Ministry of Food," a television series where he attempted to teach his fellow Britons how to cook healthy meals. (ANI)