KFC shared a video ‘mocking’ a Welsh influencer’s stammer – here’s what actually happened

KFC has apologised after one of its official social media accounts posted a promotional video that appeared to mock TikTok influencer Jessie Yendle’s stammer.

Jessie, from Pontypridd, Wales, has lived with a stammer her whole life and now has more than three and a half million followers on TikTok, where she raises awareness about speech impediments.

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The clip, which Jessie says was viewed more than four million times before being deleted, took an audio of her struggling to pronounce a sound and edited the repeated stammer into a dance track. As the beat dropped, images of KFC products flashed up on screen, effectively turning Jessie’s stammer into a punchline to advertise food.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, Jessie said the video “breaks my heart” and that she doesn’t think the brand realised “the true damage they’ve done”. She added that the repeated use of her stammer by brands makes her feel as if she’s being reduced to her speech impediment: “I am so much more than that.”

Jessie said on her Instagram story that KFC said reached out to her directly to apologize.

They also issued an official statement, in which a KFC spokesperson told BBC News: “Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and mocking someone for their stammer is simply wrong.

“We want to make clear that this behaviour is totally unacceptable and is not tolerated at KFC. Every person who walks through our doors should feel welcome, valued and safe to be themselves.”

The spokesperson said KFC would contact Stamma, a UK charity for people who stammer, to see how it can work with them “to make sure every voice is heard and appreciated at KFC”.

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This is not the first time Jessie’s stammer has been used without her consent. Brands Borussia Dortmund and Ironman have both apologised in recent weeks for sharing similar clips based on the same audio. Jessie told Good Morning Britain she’s frustrated that major brands are repeatedly using her disability for engagement: “It makes me wonder if we’re going to be having this conversation once again.”

Jessie has spoken openly about the discrimination she has faced, including having phone calls hung up on her when ordering food because staff assumed she was pranking them. She is now petitioning for a universal symbol to help the UK’s estimated 450,000 people with speech impediments.

On Instagram, she wrote: “NOTHING should ever be a trend if it’s disrespecting or discriminating a disability.”

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