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Reality show following wealthy ‘yummy mummies’ slammed before it even goes to air

The show will follow the lives of Lorinska Merrington, Rachel Watts, Jane Scandizzo and Maria Di­Geronimo.

The show will follow the lives of Lorinska Merrington, Rachel Watts, Jane Scandizzo and Maria Di­Geronimo. Photo: Channel Seven

A reality television show following the lives of wealthy ‘yummy mummies’ has been slammed by viewers before the program has even gone to air.

Channel Seven has promoted its upcoming series Yummy Mummies with a clip of star Maria DiGeronimo criticising a woman for publicly breastfeeding her baby in a café.

“Breastfeeding in public is illegal, you just don’t do it,” the Adelaide mum-to-be said in the promotional video.

The program will also follow the lives of expectant Melbourne mothers Lorinska Merrington, Rachel Watts and Jane Scandizzo.

But the “appalling” comments of Ms DiGeronimo have outraged viewers, with many now threatening to boycott the network over the show.

“You have lost me as a viewer. As a breastfeeding mum I’m appalled you would air this show, making fun of a mother nursing in public,” one viewer wrote on Facebook. “Shame on you! I hope ALL mums and mums-to-be boycott this show! Nursing in public is LEGAL … anywhere anytime.”

“Repulsive, and looks like I am not going to watch Seven anymore until this trash is over! Who else is willing to join me in boycott,” another said.

Others described the comments as “discrimination” of mothers and accused the program of “glorifying these uneducated, ignorant attitudes”.

“And the free-to-air networks wonder why people are flocking to Netflix when this garbage is the best they can come up with.”

Channel Seven appeared to attempt to distance itself from the comment on Facebook.

“Seven does not sanction the views expressed by those depicted in the program,” the station said.

Almost 20,000 people have petitioned Channel Seven to stop Yummy Mummies from airing later this year, for fear it will add to the stigma of breastfeeding.

Channel Seven has been slammed after sharing a promotional video of one of the reality television stars saying breastfeeding in public is illegal

Channel Seven has been slammed after sharing a promotional video of one of the reality television stars saying breastfeeding in public is illegal. Photo: Facebook/ Channel Seven

The Australian Breastfeeding Project launched the change.org petition, claiming the comment was sex discrimination and it breached the commercial television code of practice.

“This is causing the distress of thousands of breastfeeding mothers around Australia,” the petition said.

“We are formally requesting this show be removed from airing and at the very least this part of the show and any other potential code breaches are removed from the show prior to airing and removed on all your social media outlets.”

Australian Breastfeeding Project said the promotion had sparked women to “explain why they can’t bottle-feed”.

“A woman contacted me devastated about seeing the clip as she’s already worried about having to feed in public and now feels the need to mix feed so she won’t get comments discriminating comments like these against her.”

The New Daily has contacted Channel Seven for comment.

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