Meghan Markle has come under fire due to a recent announcement regarding an upcoming guest on her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan—namely, the controversial Chrissy Teigen. A model, author and internet personality, Teigen is best known for her unfiltered comments and being married to singer-songwriter John Legend. Insider sources have confirmed that Teigen will star in With Love, Meghan's second season, a decision that has raised eyebrows given Teigen's sordid history of harassment.
How Chrissy Teigen Skyrocketed to Infamy
Teigen is a polarising figure, made even more so due to her infamous bullying of Courtney Stodden, who made headlines in 2011 for becoming the teenage wife of 50-year-old actor Doug Hutchison. Teigen, then known as the 'queen of X (formerly Twitter)' for her snarky, honest commentary, relentlessly harassed Stodden, who was only 16. One of her posts states, 'my Friday fantasy: you. dirt nap. mmm baby,' while another reads, 'I hate you.'
In 2021, Stodden told the Daily Beast these posts escalated, with Teigen directly messaging them 'I can't wait for you to die' and urging them to take their own life. The TV personality later admitted that the cyberbullying they experienced brought them to the edge of suicide, even having a suicide note written out.
'I experienced so much harassment and bullying from her when I was just 16 years old,' they emphasised. 'At a time when I needed help. I was being abused.'
After Stodden spoke out about her ordeal, Teigen has addressed her actions—though not all are convinced of her remorse.
Teigen's Tremulous Attempts At Redemption— A Decade Later
Following Stodden's statements in 2021, Teigen made a post on X, acknowledging her part in Stodden's torment.
'Not a lot of people who are lucky enough to be held accountable for all their past bullsh*t in front of the entire world,' she wrote. 'I'm mortified and sad at who I used to be.'
Teigen called herself an 'insecure, attention seeking troll,' and claims she's 'ashamed and completely embarrassed' of her actions.
'These were not my only mistakes and surely won't be my last as hard as I try but God I will try!!' she added. 'I'm so sorry, Courtney. I hope you can heal now knowing how deeply sorry I am.'
Teigen also mentioned that she has tried to reach out to Stodden in private, but they deny these claims. Instead, Stodden says Teigen blocked them on X, and that they have not heard from her or her representatives. Although Stodden has accepted Teigen's apology says they forgive the model, believing Teigen's regret is a harder feat.
'All of me wants to believe this is a sincere apology,' Stodden explained, 'but it feels like a public attempt to save her partnerships with Target and other brands who are realising her wokeness is a broken record.'
Teigen has recently spoken out about cyberbullying again, this time addressing hate comments in her own videos.
Teigen's Irate Instagram Stories Rant
On 15 March, Teigen uploaded several videos to her Instagram stories, criticising viewers for the rude comments being left under her posts. In her tirade, she urged her audience to 'stop being miserable,' and to keep their inside thoughts to themselves.
'Honestly, like, what happened to just thinking things?' She asked. 'Remember thinking things?'
She reminisces about the past, when negative thoughts about celebrities were not as easily publiscised on social media.
'You'd go through a magazine, you'd be like, "Oh, that person looks like sh*t,"" Teigen mocked. '"Ugh, I would never have that haircut. Blegh, those teeth suck." We all do it, but we used to do it to, like, magazines, and then we spit it out and it would go into the universe and it would disappear.'
Specifically, Teigen addressed repeated comments made about her face fillers, insisting that she wants to float under the radar most of the time. The irony of her comments did not go unnoticed, as, despite her apology, Teigen remains a highly disputed figure among A-listers.
Though she has burned several bridges with her reckless behaviour, her bond with the Duchess of Sussex remains untouched, as proven by their upcoming co-appearance on the latter's show.
Teigen And Markle: Forging a Friendship Through Pain And Loss
Teigen and Markle are long-time friends, having appeared on Deal or No Deal in its early seasons as models. Both women have podcasts, with Markle's 'Archetypes,' streaming on Spotify, is about entrepreneurship and building a future for female business owners. Teigen's 'Self-Conscious,' on the other hand, airs on Audible and focuses on self-realisation, fitness and wellness.
Markle reached out to Tiegen after hearing of her miscarriage and offered her support. The pair has since bonded over their shared loss. Speaking on Andy Cohen's What Happens Live, Teigen spoke highly of Markle, explaining: 'She's been so kind to me ever since we connected. She had written me about baby Jack and loss, but, yeah, she is really wonderful and so kind and just as kind as everyone says she is.'
Teigen was one of the first people who received a jar of Markle's As ever jam, which the model also praised, calling it 'One of the best bites we've had all year.'
Markle's previous guests included Mindy Kaling, Abigail Spencer, and Tracy Robbins in the first season. Through eight episodes, Maarkle guided guests and viewers through inspirational and deeply grounded conversations with friends. Markle's choice to include Teigen in the second season of With Love, Meghan may indicate a change in the show's direction. It seems the focus will shift to showcasing complex and often misunderstood individuals, which might give the show the breath of fresh air it desperately needs. Perhaps, by addressing controversial paths and different paths to healing and redemption, Markle can elevate the show's message: do what you can do, and do it with love.
