Jamie apologises to Sainsbury's staff

JAMIE Oliver has written to staff at Sainsbury's to apologise for comments made in the press last week, criticising the supermarket.

His comments came after Sainsbury's representatives failed to show at a gala dinner hosted by the chef to discuss poultry welfare.

But the celebrity chef took the decision to apologise, writing a letter to the 150,000 staff at the company, and distancing himself from comments printed in the Mirror last week.

In the letter, he apologises to Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King, claiming his words were 'taken out of context'.

Mr King defended the chef, who has been the face of the supermarket since 2000, saying that Sainsbury's had nothing to hide about how its chickens were produced.

He said: "His independence of mind and preparedness to stand up and be vocal are what makes him so valuable.