Jamie Oliver says he wants to ban chewing gum in interview, Nathan Hartono 'welcomes' him to Singapore

In an interview with British publication The Telegraph, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver said that he wanted to ban chewing gum, triggering comparisons to Singapore.

A recent interview featuring English celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, 51, has struck a chord with Singaporeans, for the unlikeliest of reasons. On Saturday (Aug 1), British publication The Telegraph uploaded a clip of its interview with Oliver, where he declared that if he could ban one thing, it would be chewing gum.

"I was walking up the street the other day and the whole street was ruined with a patchwork quilt of chewing gum. So I wouldn't ban a flavour combination, but I would ban chewing gum, unless you can jet wash it off. But you can't," said Oliver.

The video immediately attracted comments highlighting Singapore, where selling and importing chewing gum is banned.

"Singapore [has banned chewing gum], it’s glorious," wrote actor Tom Rooke. "You could eat your dinner from the pavement."

One user from Singapore highlighted the benefits of the ban, writing: "At first, many people were unhappy about the ban. But I still remember those days when you’d sit on a public bus and find chewing gum stuck behind the seats, on lift buttons, and in so many other public places.

"Looking back, I’m glad the measure was introduced. It has definitely helped keep Singapore cleaner and made public spaces much more pleasant for everyone!"

Even Singaporean singer-actor Nathan Hartono has gotten in on the fun with his tongue-in-cheek comment: "Welcome to Singapore."

Singapore banned the sale and import of chewing gum in 1992, following reports that vandals had stuck chewing gum on the sensors of MRT train doors – leading to disruptions. In 2004, Singapore partially lifted the ban to allow the sale of therapeutic, dental and nicotine gums.