Martha Stewart says sorry but asks critics 'Do all of you???' after her homeless Halloween costume sparks outrage

Martha Stewart, 85, posed in torn jeans, a grubby face and a flannel shirt, holding a sign that read 'I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!' and shared the image to plug her QVC candle range. Backlash was swift, with critics pointing to her $400 million fortune as they condemned the costume as 'offensive', 'gross' and 'out of touch', leading her to take the post down. A fuller apology followed in which she said she was 'so sorry', though her closing remark — 'I care and I support causes who care. Do all of you???' — stoked the controversy rather than quieting it.

Actress Indya Moore, 31, offered the most pointed criticism: 'Halloween has never been a time when people dress up as a demographic in need.'

Stewart's first response described her as 'distressed' that anyone had taken offence, framing the costume as an attempt to draw attention to homelessness — and stopping well short of an apology.

A similar post was reportedly still visible on her Facebook page after the Instagram version had been removed.