Padma Lakshmi is shedding some light on a difficult time in her personal life. The longtime TV personality is mom to 14-year-old daughter Krishna, whom she shares with businessman Adam Dell.
In a new profile for the New Yorker, Lakshmi opened up about the media scrutiny she received in 2010 surrounding the paternity of her daughter.
"It was just about as horrible as is possible to be," Lakshmi says in the profile. "I mean, talk about slut shaming."
The time period came several years after her very public divorce from writer Salman Rushdie. Their 23-year age gap and the fact that he divorced his third wife shortly after meeting Lakshmi made the couple prime targets for tabloid press.
Salman Rushdie and Padma Lashki during The Missing - New York Premiere at Loews Lincoln Square Theatre in New York City.
"What the tabloids never said was the truth: We really loved each other," Lakshmi insists. "I think I'm now at peace with it. I wasn't at peace with it for a long time -- I felt that the narrative of my life had been stolen from me, because of who I was standing next to."
The two married in 2004 and divorced in 2007.
These days, Lakshmi is bringing her daughter, Krishna, into the spotlight more. In January, the mother-daughter duo spoke with ET about Krishna's life adjacent to the spotlight at the Emmy Awards.
"She's also put up with a lot. She's grown up on set," Lakshmi told ET of Krishna. "She's used to her mom being on the road. So it's nice to also share the beautiful bits with her."
Krishna Lakshmi and Padma Lakshmi attend the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Jan. 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
The longtime Top Chef host recently exited the popular show, making way for a new host, Kristen Kish.
Kish recently told ET the advice Lakshmi passed along to her.
"I think it was -- it was the advice that I needed. It was very much like, 'I'm here should you need, like speed dial if -- call if you have any questions. But also, if you don't need me, totally fine, just know that I'm here supporting you,'" she said of the words of wisdom.
For more, watch the clip below:
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