Amanda Holden has never been one to shy away from saying exactly what she thinks — and when it comes to the increasingly controversial “nepo baby” debate surrounding the children of famous stars, she has a very clear message.

As her eldest daughter, 20-year-old Lexi, continues to carve out a path in the modelling world, Amanda has pushed back against the suggestion that having a famous parent automatically guarantees success.

For the television and radio personality, there is an important difference between helping a young person get an opportunity and building an entire career for them.

A well-known surname might help someone get noticed. A family connection might even help open that first door.

But, Amanda argues, what happens after that is entirely different.

“Being someone’s kid is not going to secure work, make a living for you and longevity in whatever career,” she said while discussing the debate.

“It may get you a foot in the door, but then you’re on your own.”

And with Lexi now entering an industry where every opportunity, photograph and career move can attract scrutiny, Amanda’s comments have placed one of showbusiness’s most divisive conversations firmly back in the spotlight.

Lexi is building a modelling career of her own

Amanda shares daughters Lexi and Hollie with her husband Chris Hughes, and while both girls have grown up with a famous mother, Lexi is now beginning to experience the spotlight for herself.

The 20-year-old has pursued modelling and is signed with Storm Management, the prestigious agency long associated with major names in fashion.

She also reached an important milestone when she made her catwalk debut at London Fashion Week in 2024.

Inevitably, having Amanda Holden as her mother has meant Lexi’s career has attracted more attention than that of an unknown young model taking her first steps into the industry.

And that is exactly where the uncomfortable “nepo baby” question enters the picture.

The phrase has become increasingly common in entertainment and fashion, often used to describe the children of celebrities who follow their parents — or their parents’ connections — into high-profile industries.

For critics, it represents the undeniable advantages that can come with fame, wealth, access and powerful networks.

But Amanda believes the conversation is often far too simplistic.

In her view, connections may create an opportunity, but they cannot guarantee that somebody will remain successful.

‘All parents would want to help’

Amanda’s argument is rooted in something many parents may recognise: if you have the ability to help your child take an important first step, wouldn’t you?

She believes this behaviour is hardly exclusive to celebrities.

Across countless professions, parents introduce children to people they know, arrange work experience, offer career advice or help them understand an industry.

Showbusiness, she suggested, simply receives far more attention when it happens.

And Amanda made no attempt to pretend that connections do not matter.

Instead, she openly acknowledged that knowing the right people can help someone get their “foot in the door.”

The crucial point, she argued, is what happens next.

No connection can force audiences to embrace someone.

No famous surname automatically guarantees years of employment.

And no parent can permanently protect their child from rejection in industries as competitive and unpredictable as entertainment, broadcasting, music or fashion.

That is why Amanda dislikes the “nepo baby” label so strongly.

“I just hate the term nepo baby, because it’s up to them to make it on their own,” she explained.

“And it’s often worse having a famous parent, it’s not often a good thing.”

Amanda says she doesn’t only help her own children

Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of Amanda’s response is that she says her willingness to open doors extends beyond her own family.

As a presenter on Heart Breakfast, Amanda has seen young people come into the Global Radio environment to gain experience and understand how the industry operates behind the scenes.

She described how children and young people connected in various ways to staff are given opportunities to experience the workplace — even if that means starting with basic tasks and simply observing how everything works.

For Amanda, that kind of access is something to encourage rather than condemn.

“If I can help anyone, I’ll do it,” she said.

“It’s not just my own kids, it’s my friends’ kids.”

Her younger daughter Hollie, now 14, may also get the chance to experience that environment in the future.

It is an approach that reveals Amanda’s broader philosophy: opening a door is not the same thing as guaranteeing what lies beyond it.

A young person still has to prove themselves once they walk through.

The hidden pressure of having a famous mother

While celebrity connections can undoubtedly bring privileges, Amanda also revealed another side to growing up with a household name as a parent.

Sometimes, it can simply be embarrassing.

Amanda joked that Hollie is so conscious of her mother’s fame that she sometimes prefers not to be dropped off directly where other people can see them together.

“I have to drop her off at the end of the road!” Amanda revealed.

It is a wonderfully ordinary teenage reaction to a very extraordinary family situation.

Hollie may enjoy the occasional advantage that comes with her mother’s celebrity status — such as attending an exciting premiere or special event — but apparently, the rest of the time, she would rather keep things considerably more low-key.

The admission offers a glimpse at the strange contradiction celebrity children can face.

Their parents’ fame can provide access to extraordinary experiences, but it can also mean growing up under a level of public attention they never personally chose.

For Lexi, that scrutiny becomes even more complicated now that she is pursuing a public-facing career herself.

Every achievement risks being viewed through the prism of who her mother is.

Every opportunity can prompt the same question: would she have received it without her family name?

Amanda appears determined not to let that question define her daughter.

‘She’s doing her own thing’

Despite her own decades of experience in entertainment, Amanda insists she has not been constantly directing Lexi’s career from behind the scenes.

Quite the opposite.

“She’s doing her own thing,” Amanda said.

And when describing her eldest daughter, Amanda focused less on beauty, fame or connections and more on the personality traits she believes will ultimately determine her future.

She described Lexi as studious, observant, intelligent, humble and remarkably grounded for someone navigating adulthood alongside growing public attention.

According to Amanda, Lexi takes after her father Chris in certain ways — particularly in her tendency to stand back, watch and assess situations rather than rushing into them.

“She’s got her head completely screwed on, and she doesn’t suffer fools,” Amanda said.

“She’s very like Chris, my husband, in that respect, and she sort of stands back and observes.”

For Amanda, those qualities matter far more than any famous surname.

She believes Lexi has the intelligence and temperament to succeed regardless of which direction her life eventually takes.

“I think whatever happens, whichever road she actually ends up going down, she’ll succeed because she’s intelligent and cynical,” Amanda explained.

“And I think those two things are quite good for someone of 20.”

Amanda also praised her daughter for remaining “unfazed” by the world around her and not assuming that opportunities will simply arrive because of her family background.

“She’s unfazed and doesn’t assume anything and is quite humble,” she added.

For a young woman stepping into an industry built around appearances, reputation and relentless competition, those qualities may prove particularly valuable.

The ‘nepo baby’ debate isn’t going away

Amanda’s comments touch on a much bigger conversation that has transformed the way celebrity children are discussed.

For decades, famous families have existed across entertainment, fashion, business and countless other industries.

Children have frequently followed parents into the same profession.

What has changed is the language — and the intensity of the scrutiny.

The term “nepo baby” has turned what was once often described simply as a “showbusiness dynasty” into a far more contentious debate about privilege and opportunity.

There is no denying that access matters.

Knowing influential people, understanding how an industry works from childhood and having financial security can provide advantages unavailable to many aspiring actors, models, musicians or broadcasters.

But Amanda’s argument focuses on the distinction between access and longevity.

Getting one meeting is not the same as sustaining a career.

Getting noticed is not the same as being repeatedly hired.

And being the child of a celebrity can bring expectations that other newcomers do not necessarily have to carry.

For someone like Lexi, success may always come with comparisons to her famous mother — regardless of how independently she builds her career.

That is precisely why Amanda appears so protective of her daughter’s right to be judged on what she does next, rather than simply on the surname and connections she was born with.

Amanda also reveals the surprisingly simple secrets behind her lifestyle

Away from the debate surrounding Lexi, Amanda also opened up about another subject that regularly generates attention — her famously youthful appearance and confidence in front of the camera.

The presenter, who frequently shares glamorous holiday and bikini photographs, revealed that her approach to staying in shape is far less complicated than some might imagine.

She credited a mixture of genetics, exercise and a relatively healthy vegetarian lifestyle.

Amanda also revealed that she has taken inspiration from Elizabeth Hurley’s approach to eating, often keeping her daytime meals relatively light before enjoying a more substantial meal later.

A typical breakfast might include an egg-white omelette with spinach, feta and avocado alongside a green smoothie.

But Amanda was equally clear that she has no interest in living a life dominated by extreme restrictions.

She enjoys food.

She enjoys a drink.

And in warm weather, she is particularly partial to an Aperol Spritz.

“I applaud whatever works for anybody else, but I can’t be one of those people that cuts stuff out,” she said.

Her philosophy is refreshingly straightforward: enjoy things in moderation rather than turning everyday life into a constant battle of restriction.

“I just think life is tricky as it is, so just let yourself have what you want within good reason,” she explained.

“A little bit of everything is good.”

And the secret behind those famous bikini photographs?

Amanda’s answer was considerably less glamorous than fans might expect.

“I breathe in!” she joked.

Rather than claiming there is some mysterious posing technique behind her photographs, Amanda pointed to genetics and regular exercise as important factors.

She noted that her mother, grandmother and sister are naturally slim, while she also enjoys using her Peloton at home two or three times a week.

The convenience is part of the appeal.

There is no need to worry about the weather or organise an elaborate fitness routine — she can simply fit a cycling session around her busy schedule.

It is another example of Amanda’s characteristically straightforward attitude toward the intense scrutiny surrounding women in the public eye.

Whether she is discussing her body, motherhood or accusations of nepotism, she appears unwilling to pretend that everything is more complicated than it needs to be.

A famous surname can open a door — but can it build a career?

Ultimately, Amanda’s defence of Lexi raises a question with no simple answer.

Yes, having a famous and successful parent can create opportunities.

Amanda herself openly acknowledges that reality.

But does an introduction guarantee talent?

Does access guarantee longevity?

And should every achievement of a celebrity’s child automatically be dismissed because of the advantages they may have had at the beginning?

For Amanda, the answer is clear.

A parent may help open the first door.

But once their child walks through it, they have to prove they deserve to stay.

As Lexi continues exploring her future in modelling and beyond, Amanda seems determined to give her daughter something more valuable than simply a famous surname: the freedom to find out for herself just how far she can go.