Rita Ora has issued an apology following the backlash she received following her 30th birthday celebrations.
According to The Sun, the singer was joined by a group of 30 friends at a restaurant in London’s Notting Hill on Saturday, despite England’s current lockdown restrictions prohibiting social gatherings.
After photographs emerged from the event, which show model Cara Delevingne and TOWIE star Vas Morgan also at the event, fans took to Twitter to criticise the star for breaking the rules.
One user wrote: “I’m so fed up with reading about celebrities breaking lockdown rules. I haven’t seen my family since august, but Rita Ora can throw a party and have 30 plus people there. Shows that money means a different kind of lockdown for some.”
https://twitter.com/TazF_R/status/1333390214631464963
Why do people with money think they can do whatever they like. I havent seen my family for nearly a year due to covid because I'm looking after my extremely vulnerable mother.makes my blood boil reading about rita ora having a party. Who does she think she is!
— Al (@Al46056914) November 29, 2020
Great to see that Rita Ora had a massive 30th birthday party. Being a celebrity makes you immune to Covid19, right? #NOT 🤦🏼♀️ Why do people with more power and status think they’re exempt?! 🙄
— Sophie Bowns ✍🏻 (@Sophie_Bowns) November 30, 2020
Taking to her Instagram Stories to address the backlash, Rita wrote: “Hello all, I attended a small gathering with some friends to celebrate my 30th birthday.
“It was a spur of the moment decision made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK…
“I’m deeply sorry for breaking the rules and in turn understand that this puts people at risk.”
“This was a serious and inexcusable error of judgement. Given the restrictions, I realise how irresponsible these actions were and I take full responsibility,” she continued.
“I feel particularly embarrassed knowing first-hand how hard people have worked to combat this terrible illness and being fully aware of the sacrifices that people and businesses have made to help keep us all safe.
“Even though this won’t make it right, I want to sincerely apologise.”
According to the BBC, Rita will voluntarily pay a fine to the police because of the breach.
The publication also confirmed that officers from London’s Metropolitan Police went to the restaurant after a report of a potential breach of Covid lockdown regulations.
Kendall Jenner has also faced backlash for throwing a star-studded birthday party last month, while Kim Kardashian was branded “tone-deaf” for her social media posts after her 40th birthday trip.
