Kelly Clarkson responds to fat shamer: 'I'm awesome!'

NASHVILLE, March 5 (UPI) -- Kelly Clarkson has responded to Katie Hopkins' comments on her weight.

The 32-year-old singer shared a message of self-acceptance after the 40-year-old British television personality made fun of her appearance. Hopkins started by asking if Clarkson ate "all of her backing singers" on Twitter, and later defended her comments on Entertainment Tonight.

"Kelly Clarkson is now a chunky monkey, if we're putting it kindly," she declared. "She does look like she's eaten her backup singers. My advice: she needs to get out there with her stroller and do some pushing and get some of that weight off."

Fans instantly took to Clarkson's defense on social media, but Hopkins stood by her remarks this week, tweeting, "Look chubsters, Kelly Clarkson had a baby a year ago. That is no longer baby weight. That is carrot cake weight. Get over yourselves."

Clarkson was unaware of Hopkins' comments and unsure who the television personality was when she learned about the remarks. The singer issued a response to Heat magazine, and told the publication the criticism doesn't bother her because she is "awesome."

"It's a free world. Say what you will," she said. "I've just never cared what people think. It's more if I'm happy and confident and feeling good, that's always been my thing. And more so now, since having a family -- I don't seek out other acceptance."

Clarkson and husband Brandon Blackstock welcomed their first child, daughter River Rose, in June 2014. Hopkins has appeared on reality series The Apprentice, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother, and currently writes for U.K. tabloid The Sun.