Source close to Michelle Mone blasts Carole Vorderman's 'outrageous' comments trends now
Carole Vorderman's attack on Michelle Mone today prompted a brutal comeback from an ally of the embattled bra baroness, who asked: 'What are the reasons – a hunger for publicity, or maybe her coming to the end of her TV career?'
The comments, made exclusively to MailOnline, came after Vorderman reignited her feud with her former friend during a fiery interview on This Morning that ended with her turning to the camera and saying, 'Sue me, Michelle'.
The former Countdown star, 62, used her appearance to describe the scandal currently engulfing Baroness Mone over government PPE contracts, before claiming that she 'dropped her like a stone as soon as I realised what kind of person she was'.
However, a source close to the entrepreneur today hit back against Vorderman, branding her 'publicity hungry' and calling the comments 'outrageous'. 'I really don't understand why Carol has started this attack,' the source added.
A source close to Michelle Mone today hit back at comments made by her former friend, Carol Vorderman (they are pictured together at Cheltenham in 2012)
The comments came after Vorderman reignited her feud with her former friend during a fiery interview on This Morning that ended with her turning to the camera and saying, 'Sue me, Michelle'
The source also hit back at Vorderman's claims on Twitter that Baroness Mone's husband, Doug Barrowman, paid for a super yacht and a private jet using money from government PPE contracts.
'Baroness Mone's husband has owned super yachts and a jet for many years.
'What are the reasons – a hunger for publicity, or maybe her coming to the end of her TV career?'
It emerged last month that Vorderman had called a halt to their friendship 'some time ago', but today was the first time she had addressed the issue on national television.
'I cannot talk about useless PPE without also talking about Michelle Mone who was brought into the House of Lords, as a baroness, by David Cameron,' the former Countdown host told This Morning.
'We know she has taken leave of absence without losing the Tory whip to start with because she was actively involved, as it goes, with a company called PPE Medpro.'
She then mentioned her former friendship with Baroness Mone, before adding: 'Now Michelle Mone, I knew, many years ago and then dropped her like a stone as soon as I realised what kind of person she was.'
Vorderman turned to look at the camera directly and held both hands up as she said: 'Sue me, Michelle.'
At this point, This Morning host Alison Hammond interrupted Vorderman to say: 'Carol, can I just say she's not here to defend herself.'
But she continued: 'No she's not here to defend herself but I'm repeating what has been said in the press and what has proven to be true.'
Vorderman has strongly criticised Baroness Mone over allegations relating to government contracts to supply PPE, firing off more than a dozen tweets on the subject.
The broadcaster has even claimed her former friend - who she has not been pictured with since 2012 - should be 'slammed in jail where she belongs'.
An insider recently claimed it was Vorderman who ended the friendship, telling The Sun: 'There was no bitter bust up or rows between them.
'Carol just decided not to continue the friendship over ten years ago.'
It emerged last month that Vorderman had called a halt to their friendship 'some time ago', but today was the first time she had addressed the issue on national television
'I cannot talk about useless PPE without also talking about Michelle Mone who was brought into the House of Lords, as a baroness, by David Cameron,' the former Countdown host said
2010: Vorderman and Baroness Mone Marion Rose Ball in aid of Children with Leukaemia at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London
Baroness Mone welcoming Vorderman to Twitter (top); and below - one of Vorderman's comments about the PPE scandal
Baroness Mone is under investigation by the National Crime Agency as part of a fraud investigation into a Covid supplies company she recommended to ministers.
She is also being probed by the House of Lords over concerns that she may have failed to declare an interest in PPE Medpro and lobbying for it to win £203m in NHS contracts, and has lost the Tory whip after taking a break from Parliament in an attempt to clear her name.
The Government is also suing the firm for allegedly breaching the terms of one deal to supply 25million surgical gowns for medics.
Vorderman has made a series of claims against her former friend on Twitter.
She wrote in one post: 'Lady' Mone broke Lords' code & was seemingly involved in fraud while nurses & doctors slaved all hours to save people in the 1st lockdown.
'She denied any involvement but her husband got £65m profit & she £29m. If so, slam them in jail where they belong.'
In a second tweet she said: 'After £221m PPE contracts, Michelle Mone threatened Hancock that if a 2nd company she was 'helping' to get a flow test contract for wasn't allowed to 'get in the game' the awarding would seem 'corrupt' & she'd 'blow this all wide open' Where do we start??'
She added: 'Michelle Mone… Today While nurses strike for the first time in their history, reports Mone and her husband flew in the private jet bought after PPE Medpro contracts, to the Alps for a
