David Beckham inadvertently found himself in hot water on Wednesday, and it had nothing to do with the upscale coffee blender he plugs in a new advert.
The former Manchester United and England midfielder has been recruited as the face of Ninja kitchen appliances, but a new advert left viewers seething with the popular brand.
The festive 30-second commercial finds Beckham, 49, left to sort Christmas dinner on his own, with no time to spare – a near impossible task he only manages with the help of his handy Ninja accessories.
But the ex-England skipper’s apparent indoor use of a wood-fired oven, worth £350 and primarily designed for outdoor use, has resulted in the brand being reported to the Advertising Standards Authority.
Guidance from Ninja’s own user manual reads: ‘DO NOT use indoors. If used under overhead cover, toxic fumes, including carbon monoxide, may accumulate and cause serious bodily injury or death.’
Beckham’s deal with SharkNinja – the latest in a stream of lucrative endorsements – was announced in May and is understood to be worth £1million.
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A new advert featuring David Beckham has been reported to the Advertising Standards Authority
The commercial for Ninja kitchen appliances sees Beckham using a wood-fired oven indoors – despite the brand’s own user manual stating it should only be used outside
SharkNinja representatives have since confirmed that all scenes involving the oven were filmed outdoors, while the festive commercial was given a green light by advertising clearance organization Clearcast prior to launching on national television.
A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘David Beckham was cooking in an outdoor kitchen during the filming of this advert, in compliance with the Woodfire Outdoor Oven’s usage instructions.
‘The advert was cleared by Clearcast before airing.’
The former footballer developed a passion for cooking while playing across continental Europe with Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint Germain.
Close family friend Eva Longoria previously called Beckham ‘a great cook’ after he gave her tips on how to make a traditional shepherd’s pie.
She told the Table Manners podcast: ‘David’s a great cook. He didn’t teach me, but he told me the trick is ketchup.’
She added: ‘He makes a good Bolognese. He’s very much into cooking, you can see from his Instagram.’
The Ninja controversy appeared to be forgotten on Tuesday evening as Beckham, accompanied by wife Victoria, attended his first ever state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
Guidance from Ninja’s own user manual reads: ‘DO NOT use indoors. If used under overhead cover, toxic fumes, including carbon monoxide, may accumulate and cause serious bodily injury or death’
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Beckham developed a passion for cooking while playing across continental Europe with Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint Germain
The Beckham’s, whose invite were kept secret until the event begun, joined King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales for the glittering event held for the Emir of Qatar, his wife and their delegation.
The former England captain looked at home at the Palace and calmly gave his fashion designer wife, 50, a reassuring hand as she appeared nervy walking through the East Gallery surrounded by royals and dignitaries.
It is understood that Beckham was invited to the lavish dinner because of his role as an ambassador for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
There was a touching moment where the beaming ex-footballer confidently strode through the galleries of Buckingham Palace and lent his wife a supportive hand as she appeared to call on him for assistance.
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The controversy appeared to be forgotten on Tuesday evening as Beckham, accompanied by wife Victoria, attended his first ever state banquet at Buckingham Palace
While Beckham assumed the role as his wife’s knight in shining armour, his invitation to the palace once again raises questions over whether he has smoothed his path to a knighthood.
Beckham has attended several royal events in the past, including his investiture with an OBE in 2017 and the Queen’s Young Leader event in 2018, but this was his first-ever state banquet.
In June, the former Manchester United winger also became an ambassador for The King’s Foundation – a role he said he was ‘honoured’ to take on.
This year, Beckham has held a meeting with the King about their shared passion of beekeeping and helped Prince William raise funds for the London Air Ambulance.
