The bitter family feud surrounding Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty has intensified after his aunt publicly condemned him for referring to his father-in-law Gordon Ramsay as “Dad” — branding the move “a slap in the face” to his own parents.
The outburst follows revelations that Adam, 31, has been calling the celebrity chef “Dad” amid an ongoing breakdown in relations with his own family, after it emerged last November that he had banned his parents — Caroline and Mark Peaty — from attending his December wedding to Ramsay’s daughter Holly Ramsay, 26.
As tensions continue to simmer, Gordon — who has just released a Netflix documentary featuring the Olympic champion — confirmed Adam’s new nickname for him, sparking an emotional response from Adam’s maternal aunt Louise Williams.
‘Toadying Behaviour’
In a furious and deeply personal rant posted on Threads, Louise accused her nephew of “toadying” up to his in-laws for “money and fame,” while urging him to recognise the sacrifices made by his parents.
She paid particular tribute to Adam’s father Mark Peaty, a bricklayer, who she said worked “his hands raw and bleeding” to fund Adam’s swimming career long before sponsorship deals arrived.
She wrote:
“Oh Adam, your poor dad. How could you? That man literally worked his hands bloody so you could pursue your dream. Long, long days as a brickie — a hard, labour-intensive, back-breaking job — and he did it without moan or complaint.”
‘I’ve Got Tears in My Eyes’
Louise continued, saying the situation had left her overwhelmed with emotion as she typed.
“I’ve got tears in my eyes as I write this. Your dad worked his hands raw and bleeding to pay your swimming expenses before you ever had sponsorship.”
She contrasted Adam’s praise for Gordon Ramsay and his swimming coach Melanie Marshall — whom he recently credited with shaping him into “the man he is today” — with what she described as a painful lack of public acknowledgement for his parents.
“You credit Mr Ramsay as your dad. You credit Mel for shaping you into the man you are today. What about your mum and dad?”
Documentary Fallout
The controversy erupted shortly after the Ramsay family unveiled their new six-part Netflix documentary, which follows Gordon’s latest restaurant ventures and includes a brief clip from Adam and Holly’s engagement party.
Before the documentary aired, Adam’s mother Caroline reportedly asked to be removed from the footage — though she was still seen fleetingly on screen.
Since the release, Gordon revealed Adam’s messages calling him “Dad,” telling viewers:
“He calls me dad. He texts me saying, ‘Hey dad, what have you got? Are you around later?’ And it’s just like, ‘Oh my God.’ Incredible.”
‘The Truth Will Come Out’
Louise did not hold back as she extended her criticism to the Ramsays’ media presence and PR machine, claiming public appearances were designed to soften the narrative.
“They are love-bombing on TV, online and in the newspapers. They have a PR team that can make anything look like spun gold.”
She added:
“But we have something that trumps that — the truth. You can fool people some of the time, but eventually the truth comes out.”
She also referenced reports that Gordon owed £65,000 to a florist for wedding flowers while later being seen driving a £1 million Aston Martin, sharing a tongue-in-cheek meme questioning priorities.
‘Your Family Paid the Price’
Louise further highlighted what she described as the unseen sacrifices made by Adam’s wider family, claiming his siblings missed out on time with their mother while Caroline ferried him to training sessions and organised community fundraising.
“It wasn’t your mum and extended family who ferried you about? It wasn’t your mum who catered community teas to raise money? Your siblings missed out on having their mum at weekends because she was tied up supporting you.”
Back in November, Caroline publicly thanked Louise for being her “protector” amid the fallout, sharing an emotional Instagram tribute describing her sister as her “loudest supporter” and “comfort zone.”
The Daily Mail has contacted Adam Peaty’s representatives for comment.
