Celebrities react to ‘utterly tragic’ Brooklyn Beckham family feud

Brooklyn Beckham has unleashed a series of explosive allegations against his parents, David and Victoria, and his bombshell Instagram post hasn’t just captured the attention of us regular folk.

The eldest son of the celebrity power couple has made headlines by claiming his parents have been “trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn’t stopped”. The 26-year-old married actor Nicola Peltz, daughter of American billionaire Nelson Peltz, in 2022.

His public airing of grievances has sparked an outpouring of reactions from famous faces including Rebecca Loos – yes, David’s former assistant who famously claimed to have had an affair with him (which David has always strongly denied).

In an Instagram comment, Loos said of Brooklyn: “So happy he is standing up for himself and speaking publicly finally!!!! I have felt so bad for his poor wife, knowing too well what they can be like!”

Elsewhere, the fallout has been described as “utterly tragic” by broadcaster Susanna Reid, who commented on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that the accusations are “so damning, it is hard to see them coming back from them and repairing them”.

Kate Garraway remarked: “It isn’t the brand, is it? It’s the family life that breaks my heart. It’s horrible.”

Meanwhile, singer Lily Allen shared a mock-up of her West End Girl album cover featuring Brooklyn’s face, in apparent solidarity with him after her hit record detailed her split from David Harbour.

And I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here star GK Barry posted on Instagram: “I know it’s pure panic in the Beckham household tonight. He really did a mic drop.”

open image in gallery

Irish TV personality Vogue Williams said she “will never sleep again” and that her “mind is blown” by Brooklyn’s statement. “It’s very sad because I do love the Beckhams,” she added. “Not that I know them, but I do love them, and it’s always sad to see that happen,” she said in a video.

Her My Therapist Ghosted Me co-host Joanne McNally took a lighter approach on her Instagram account, poking fun at Brooklyn “going nuclear online”.

The post has also captured the imagination of celebrities on X, with David Baddiel quipping: “The whole thing is very Oedipus Becks.”

Rumours of a deep rift within the Beckham family have circulated since Brooklyn’s 2022 wedding to Nicola Peltz Beckham, daughter of American billionaire Nelson Peltz.

Breaking his silence for the first time, the aspiring chef and photographer detailed several incidents. He claimed his mother “hijacked” his first dance with Nicola, dancing “inappropriately on me” in front of guests, leaving him feeling “uncomfortable or humiliated”. He further alleged that his wife was “disrespected” by his family and was not extended an invitation to his father’s 50th birthday celebration.

Brooklyn stated he has been “silent for years” and made efforts to keep these matters private, but felt compelled to speak out as his parents and their team “continued to go to the press”. He declared he does not wish to “reconcile” with his family, asserting: “I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”

He painted a picture of a life dominated by carefully curated narratives, stating: “For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into.” He accused them of placing “countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade”.

Further accusations included his mother cancelling Nicola’s wedding dress “in the eleventh hour”, forcing her to find an urgent replacement. Weeks before the wedding, he claimed his parents “repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name”, a move he resisted, which he believes affected their relationship. He also recounted his mother allegedly calling him “evil” over wedding table arrangements that included his and Nicola’s grandmothers.

Brooklyn asserted that since he began “standing up for myself with my family”, he has faced “endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders”. He even claimed his brothers were “sent to attack me on social media, before they ultimately blocked me out of nowhere this last summer”.

open image in gallery

He criticised what he perceives as the family’s priorities: “My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. Family ‘love’ is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it’s at the expense of our professional obligations.”

Refuting the narrative that his wife controls him, Brooklyn stated: “I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life.” He revealed that “overwhelming anxiety” he experienced throughout his life has “disappeared” since stepping away from his family. “I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose and have found peace and relief,” he added, concluding that he and Nicola “do not want a life shaped by image, press or manipulation. All we want is peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”

David and Victoria, who also have sons Cruz and Romeo and daughter Harper, have not yet publicly responded to the allegations. Other members of the Beckham family have instead shared promotional posts for Cruz’s upcoming music gig. The Beckhams have been contacted for comment.

Additional reporting by Press Association