A duchess has to earn a crust. But is this US infomercial flogging a ‘Fusion Xcelerator food emulsifier’ her most extraordinary exploit yet?
SHE has endorsed everything from scented candles to crockery and fashion in various failed bids to impress American shoppers.
Now the Duchess of York is once again attempting to become a commercial success in the US – this time with an extraordinary film plugging a range of products including the bizarrely named ‘Fusion Xcelerator food emulsifier’.
Called Duchess Discoveries, the 28-minute ‘infomercial’ is scheduled to air on American television early this year.
And judging by a four-minute teaser seen by The Mail on Sunday, Fergie appears enthusiastic but somewhat wooden as she attempts to sell her products in front of a studio audience. A voiceover explains that the Duchess is ‘one of the most recognised personalities on the planet’ before going on to say her ‘personal struggles and adversity have empowered her to be her best and help others improve their lives’.
Things are certainly going better for the 55-year-old Duchess, who has lost almost 4st and has reportedly restored her relationship with the Queen. Now she has teamed up with mail-order specialist Tristar Products, which has previously marketed products with Rod Stewart’s ex-wife Rachel Hunter and the late comedienne Joan Rivers.
As well as her involvement in the commercial campaign, the Duchess has also registered five trademarks, including ‘Fergie’s Farms’. Currently, the Fusion Xcelerator is the only product available to buy in the US on duchessdiscoveries.com, billed as ‘the official site of Sarah Ferguson’.
Described as a ‘powerful microemulsification system’, the sevenpiece machine costing $99.99 (£65) also comes with the Duchess’s meal plan. Manufacturers claim the processor breaks down food into a ‘micro-cellular pre-digestive state’ and ‘captures all of the essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phyto-nutrients’ to ensure the healthiest smoothies.
On camera, the Duchess claims the food processor accelerates weight loss, boosts energy and strengthens the immune system. It is understood she has been using the juicer for 14 months to aid her weight loss.
However, Sioned Quirke, a leading British dietician and obesity specialist, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Any blender can break down food. This one uses several jargon terms to make it sound superior when it probably isn’t.
‘Breaking food down to a predigestive state is the job of your stomach and it does it well. You don’t need anything to help it do its job.
‘And no juicer or blender can enhance how much nutrition your body will actually absorb. Having juices or blended foods can actually make weight loss more difficult as the food doesn’t stay in your stomach long enough to make you feel full or satisfied after a meal.
‘I’d advise people to be careful who they put their trust into. Just because you use a celebrity or a self-endorsed “expert” does not mean you are qualified to provide advice on nutrition or weight loss.’
Yvonne Wolski-Worman, from Pennsylvania, was in the audience when the programme was filmed last July.
She said: ‘The Duchess talked about losing 55lb, more through juicing than exercise. I got the impression she doesn’t like exercise.’
After her divorce from Prince Andrew 19 years ago, the Duchess took on a string of endorsements in the US, including a deal with WeightWatchers. However, in 2006 the company set up to capitalise on her image in the US collapsed with debts of more than £1million.
Unperturbed, Fergie has recently filed her trademarks, which could enable her to endorse products including heated hair brushes and a line of farm produce. Friends say she will launch a range of up to 17 speciality teas in the next few weeks.
A friend said: ‘Sarah would never endorse a product unless it worked for her. She’s in a really good place at the moment. She keeps saying “This is me time” and “This is my time to blossom”. In England she will always be the Duchess of Pork. But in LA or New York she’s still a Royal and the Americans love that.’