Georgia Love has gotten back to business after facing backlash over her holiday in Saudi Arabia.
On Friday, the former Bachelorette star shared a promotion on her Georgia Elliott Sleepwear Instagram page, for International Sleep Day.
The pyjama label, owned by Georgia and husband Lee Elliott, ran a competition for followers to win an ‘ultimate sleep pack’.
Back at work: Georgia Love (pictured) has gotten back to business after facing backlash over her holiday in Saudi Arabia. On Friday, the former Bachelorette star shared a promotion on her Georgia Elliott Sleepwear Instagram page, for International Sleep Day
The prize pack consists of a one year supply of tea, an iced tea maker and mesh ball infuser, a Georgia Elliott Jessie nightie, sweet dreams mist and a $100 voucher.
It comes after Georgia and Lee deleted all their holiday photos from Saudi Arabia after backlash from fans for promoting the region.
The married Bachelorette stars removed photos taken in the Middle Eastern country off their Instagram as of Friday, after facing a barrage of backlash on Thursday.
Those images included Georgia, 33, and Lee, 40, arriving at King Khalid International Airport, and posing outside a local building.
Deleted: It comes after Georgia and her husband Lee Elliott (left) deleted all their holiday photos from Saudi Arabia after backlash from fans for promoting the region. Pictured: The couple at King Khalid International Airport on Thursday
The couple came under fire from followers after sharing photos together in the country while tagging the official tourism bureau of Saudi Arabia.
Georgia captioned the post, ‘Well I can categorically say not one person guessed… we’re in Saudi Arabia!!
‘After only opening to tourists in 2019, we can’t state how excited we are to be among the first Aussies to tour Saudi.
‘To us, it is important to see, experience and learn about all cultures around us and to see how much and how fast our world is changing. We can’t wait to bring you along on this incredible experience with us’.
Gone: The Bachelorette stars swept photos taken in the Middle Eastern country off their Instagram as of Friday, after facing a barrage of backlash on Thursday
However, critics quickly piled on the former Channel Seven reporter.
Entertainment journalist Peter Ford tweeted a link to a news article revealing Saudi Arabia recently ‘executed 81 convicts in a single day’.
Ford added: ‘This is the country Georgia Love accepted a free trip to visit. Of the 81 you can be sure there is a disproportionate number of women, gays & possibly journalists. Did you really need a freebie trip that badly Georgia?’
Defending: In a post shared hours after the backlash, Lee defended their trip and said the he and Georgia, 33, were ‘not being paid to be here’ and don’t in any way endorse ‘behaviours of the past or human rights violations that have occurred in this country’
Her Instagram followers were just as savage, with one asking ‘We’re really promoting Saudi now? With their appalling human rights record??’
Another was stunned that the former journalist had not done her homework before promoting the country.
‘As a woman and a journalist did you not consider the treatment of both groups in Saudi? As a journo I imagine you stand for freedom of the press, freedom of speech – both of which are non existent in Saudi Arabia.’
‘Prominent women’s rights activists detained in 2018 have remained in detention while on trial for their women’s rights advocacy,’ they added.
Danger zone: The former Bachelorette star had shared what appeared to be a sponsored post telling her fans to visit Saudi Arabia
‘Why not use your influence/platform to promote somewhere that doesn’t have an atrocious record of human rights violations.’
The totalitarian regime ruling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is consistently ranked among the ‘worst of the worst’ in Freedom House’s annual survey of political and civil rights.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Love’s representatives for comment.
Optics: Entertainment journalist Peter Ford tweeted a link to a news article revealing Saudi Arabia recently ‘executed 81 convicts in a single day’
Later that day, Lee defended their trip and said the he and Georgia were ‘not being paid’ to visit and don’t in any way endorse ‘behaviours of the past or human rights violations that have occurred in this country’.
He began: ‘We truly hear and understand what some of you are saying and where you’re coming from on our decision to come to Saudi Arabia, but the world is changing for the better and Saudi along with it.
‘Saudi has changed a lot in recent years (we were not allowed here two years ago. Women could not drive nor work – none of these things are the case now).
Backlash: Her Instagram followers were just as savage, with one asking ‘We’re really promoting Saudi now? With their appalling human rights record??’
‘We strongly believe by Saudi opening up to the rest of the world and by tourists being here it has to be more accountable.’
He added that the couple are on a trip organised and run ‘solely by women who are here on the ground leading the tour with us, locals included’.
‘This is a big reason we felt comfortable to come,’ he added. ‘Every local we have come across has been wonderful, kind and very grateful to be opening their country to tourism as the times change, and proud of the changes their country is making.’
After saying the couple don’t endorse any of the human rights violations that have previously occurred in Saudi Arabia, he added: ‘We are also not being paid to be here.
Luxury: Georgia and Lee are staying in the 5-star Hilton Riyadh during their trip
‘We are here for ourselves to experience and see a different country and culture as that for us is what travel is all about.
‘We want to see and experience as much of the world as we can – this includes all cultures and religions, whether we follow them, agree with them or not.’
Georgia then shared the same post to her own profile.
Love’s latest gaffe comes just weeks after she revealed she’s leaving her TV career behind at Channel Seven for a new job away from the cameras in PR.
Questionable: The totalitarian regime ruling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is consistently ranked among the ‘worst of the worst’ in Freedom House’s annual survey of political and civil rights. Pictured right: The couple’s hotel room
She announced the news in a statement to the Daily Telegraph, telling the publication that she was excited to begin her next chapter in the media industry.
It comes approximately five months after Seven yanked the reality TV star off the air and moved her to a behind-the-scenes role after she received backlash for a ‘racist’ Instagram post.
Prior to the scandal, Love worked as a news reporter and presenter for the network.
She’s now left Seven to join storytelling agency Enthral as a senior public relations and content manager.
‘As a woman and a journalist did you not consider the treatment of both groups in Saudi?’ Georgia’s Instagram has been flooded with negative comments about her latest holiday
Her new role will reportedly focus on ‘positive and uplifting stories’.
‘I’m looking forward to putting the skills, knowledge and experience learnt from 11 years working in newsrooms into something new, while still remaining within the media industry,’ Love said in a statement.
‘Storytelling has always been what I love the most about being a journalist, so when the opportunity came up to work with an agency that puts storytelling first and has a strong journalistic DNA, it couldn’t have been a better fit.’
The former reality star added that she feels ‘extremely positive’ about her surprise career change.
End of an era: Love last month revealed she is leaving her TV career behind at Channel Seven for a new job away from the cameras in PR
She was pulled from her on-air duties at Channel Seven in September and relegated to the production desk just days after posting an offensive video on Instagram.
The journalist had sparked backlash for sharing footage of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: ‘Shop attendant or lunch?!’
She deleted the video an hour later and apologised for causing ‘offence’, but at the time denied the post had any racist ‘insinuation’.
Georgia also posted a similar ‘joke’ about pets and Chinese restaurants in 2013.
Backlash: It comes approximately five months after Seven yanked Georgia off the air and moved her to a behind-the-scenes role after she received backlash for a ‘racist’ Instagram post
Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email that Georgia had been ‘counselled’ and reassigned to an off-camera role ‘effective immediately’.
A Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: ‘We have addressed this matter internally and disciplinary action has been taken.
‘Seven does not condone this inappropriate conduct and all of our staff have the right to work in a safe, nurturing workplace free from prejudice.’
Claim to fame: Georgia became a household name when she starred as the lead in Channel 10’s The Bachelorette in 2016 (pictured)
Shortly after that, Love found herself in hot water again when she was called out by a colleague in leaked emails obtained by the Herald Sun for chastising the newsroom over grammar.
She was shamed by a senior reporter for correcting the newsroom over the incorrect use of the word ‘surgeries’ in an email titled ‘grammar note’ this week.
The Herald Sun understands the email was sent by Love following a bulletin read by reporter Melina Sarris.
In a leaked email also obtained by The Herald Sun, a senior reporter called out the former Bachelorette for her ‘unreasonable’ email, encouraging the team to ‘carry on’ with their ‘great work’.
Career: Following The Bachelorette, Love spent several years working with 10 as a weather presenter and on-air news talent
Georgia started her broadcast career as a news anchor for WIN News in Tasmania.
She then joined Channel 10 as their official Bachelorette for season two in 2016, before staying with the network as a weather presenter and occasional on-air talent for shows like Studio 10.
In 2021, she made the move over to Channel Seven to work as a news reporter and producer.
In addition to her journalism career, Love also dabbles as a podcast host and social media influencer.
Jack of all trades! The former reality star is also a podcast host and social media influencer
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