Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in TV bust-up with minister over doing ‘next to nothing’ to tackle obesity

The chef and food campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has become embroiled in a public clash with the health secretary after he accused the government of doing “next to nothing” to tackle obesity.

The star, famous for his River Cottage series, warned Victoria Atkins there was a crisis in Britain and that ministers had ignored a raft of policies that could fight the problem.

But Ms Atkins insisted she was working on a prevention strategy, as she said the NHS app could help people take responsibility for their own health.

She told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “We make the mistake, I think, of siloing obesity by itself. We know that it can have many, many other conditions, including causing type 2 diabetes.

“So, over the coming weeks you will see the government set out our plans.

“I want to take a strategic approach to prevention and, in fact, the biggest public health intervention we can make … which is creating the first smoke-free generation.”