ITV's The Voice forced to apologise after 'upsetting' email to independent bakery

Here's the thing - when you're running a small business, especially one that's passionate about what you do, every interaction with the outside world matters. For Rich Myers, the owner of Get Baked UK, an independent bakery, a recent email from ITV's The Voice was a major wake-up call. It was an email that asked for something that, in the eyes of many, was quite outrageous.

In the email, a producer from ITV's The Voice asked Get Baked UK to supply their amazing products to be in the green rooms and talent dressing rooms at the show. The catch? They couldn't offer any monetary payment for the goods - just exposure to some of the most influential people in the industry. For Rich, it was a no-brainer. He replied to the producer, writing, "I must admit I'm trying really hard not to bite at this stuff as of late, but on this occasion I simply cannot resist." He added a rather.. Pointed message, asking the producer to tell their boss, boss's boss, and boss's boss's boss to "f off."

But what's striking is that this wasn't the first time this had happened. Haircare brand Silkie claimed to have received the same email, and Choc on Choc said they fell for the offer in 2020. For Rich, it's a systemic problem - one that he believes needs to be addressed.

Rich's post on Instagram quickly went viral, with hundreds of comments from other prominent food businesses and disappointed viewers. And it's easy to see why - the maths just don't add up. As Rich pointed out, ITV is making £350 million in profit, and yet they're asking independent businesses to provide free goods. It's a situation that's hard to swallow, especially when you consider the time and effort that goes into running a small business.

The response from ITV has been swift, if somewhat half-hearted. They emailed Rich again, apologising for any upset caused by their email. But Rich isn't interested in apologies - he wants action. He wants ITV to commit to changing their ways, to stop asking independent businesses for free goods.

For Rich, this is a major win. If ITV stays true to their word and stops asking for freebies from independents, it'll be a massive victory for small businesses everywhere. And, as he pointed out, if this results in other TV shows following suit, it'll be a turning point. But until then, Rich remains sceptical. As he said, "Time will tell."

In the end, this is a story about power and inequality - about who gets to make the rules and who gets to benefit from them. And for small businesses like Get Baked UK, it's a reminder that they deserve better. They deserve to be treated with respect, and to be paid fairly for their goods and services. Anything less is just unacceptable.