Madeleine West in tears after man’s rude remark at supermarket: ‘Oxygen thief’
Madeleine West was at the supermarket with her baby when she heard a man whisper under his breath.
The former Neighbours star, 46, said she was wandering the aisles in the Northern Rivers town of Casino when a couple recognised her, and while the woman was excited, the man labelled her a “b---h”.
Madeleine West says she was verbally abused in supermarket. Instagram/@msmadswest
West recounted the experience on Instagram alongside a teary selfie.
“To the guy at Casino Woolies, the one who muttered, ‘Yeah. She looks like a f---ing witch’ (but with a B instead of a W) when your partner whispered, ‘That’s Madeleine West’ as you both passed me and bubs, wet and muddy, after a day exploring the bush,” she said.
“I noticed you went to great lengths to suck your gut in and look surly when we queued behind you at the checkout.”
The mother-of-seven said she almost confronted him, but decided against it.
“I almost said something, but realised my time was too precious to be wasted on an oxygen thief like yourself,” she said.
“But I did share a dazzling smile with your sweet wife as she cooed over my bub. Because I am grateful. Interactions like these fill me with joy, because they remind me of how lucky I am! I have my health, happy kids, and I don’t ever have to go home with a troglodyte like you.”
She said she thought of the incident while making her morning “witches’ brew”.
“I’d suggest you try a daily cup of bone broth yourself, great for gut health, skin issues, cognition, but sadly it doesn’t cure stupid,” she said.
She concluded: “Happy Thursday and a hex on your house”, signing off as the “Wicked Witch West from Woollies”.
Madeleine West’s Aussie TV credits include Neighbours, Satisfaction and Underbelly. Instagram/@msmadswest
West’s post attracted hundreds of comments, many of which recounted their own positive experiences with her.
“I recognised you at a supermarket with my grandmother when I was primary school aged. I was so excited to see you. You gave me an autograph and wrote ‘you are my sunshine’,” one fan remembered.
“I remember sharing the counter with you in Toorak Health Foods one day, I was so overwhelmed with my ONE boy, tired and pregnant, and your words of encouragement and kindness made my day,” said another.
A third person wrote, “I’m soooo sorry you (nay, any of us) have to endure this shyte. I’m just so very, very tired of it all for all of us.”
West welcomed her seventh child in April 2025.
She also has six children – Phoenix, 20, Hendrix, 18, Xascha, 15, Xanthe, 13, and 11-year-old twins, Xalia and Margaux – with her ex-partner, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.
