'I bought £34 Fortnum and Mason meal deal – and it left me flabbergasted'

Daily Mirror

28-07-2025

When one man purchased his lunch, he didn't expect to be parting with such a large amount of cash, but he did say it was 'worth every penny' as a 'treat' in the park
Outrage has been felt across the UK when the price of the humble meal deal went up, with some options coming in at around a fiver - but one man managed to buy one that cost him a whopping £34, and he was floored. Big Brother star and food critic Henry Southan said he was "hungry" and "by Fortnum and Mason," so he was going to "get a meal deal". However, how much of a deal it actually was is questionable.
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He bought three items for the money he paid, and at the start of the video, he pondered whether to get an iced tea, but instead decided to get the Fortnum and Mason champagne, Blanc de Blanc, joking it was "meal deal size".
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"I think I'm gonna go for a bagel," he said, as he queued for it. He asked for the "dapper salmon but with no capers," as he's not a fan.
While he was waiting for his bagel, Henry decided to complete his meal deal with a Scotch egg as a "snack".
When he stepped outside of Fortnum and Mason, he said: "I've got my meal deal, and I need to go and find somewhere to eat it."
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Henry decided to sit in the park and enjoy his food, saying he was going to start with the bagel. He said the dapper smoked salmon bagel was "quite a traditional one".
He claimed it included "chive cream cheese with smoked salmon, lemon, red onion, cucumber".
Henry joked he was going to do an "influencer-type reveal" of his bagel, showing the perfectly positioned filling of the bagel he purchased.
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He also commented on how "big" the bagel was, saying there was "no attractive way" to eat it because of its sheer size.
"Mmm, that is a thing of beauty," he commented after taking a big bite. Henry said: "What I love is the smokiness of the salmon, the fresh kind of crunch of the red onion and the cucumber. That is a great bagel. I think I need a drink."
He then proceeded to get out the champagne bottle he'd bought, 'cheersing' the camera, and then drinking it straight from the bottle.
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It was then time for him to eat the snack, saying he was "excited" about scoffing it. "If you didn't know, Fortnum and Mason invented the Scotch egg". He broke it apart, and the yolk of the Scotch egg was runny, which is incredibly rare.
"I have not felt this happy for a very long time," he gushed, saying: "Oh, come on, are you joking me? That is so delicious."
He then got the receipt out, admitting the "champagne did cause this meal deal to become quite expensive," saying it was almost £20. But, he did say that "obviously you're not drinking this all the time," claiming it was for "special occasions".
The foodie detailed the bagel was £9, but is "huge," and the Scotch egg was £5.30, but "worth every bloody penny".
"So, in total for that meal deal, I paid £34.55," he admitted, joking that he "hates himself sometimes".