Jamie Oliver has returned to Instagram after revealing that his "much-loved" restaurants had gone into administration. The celebrity chef had been absent from social media since sharing a heartbreaking post with fans a week ago, but on Tuesday he was back to his old self sharing a picture of a delicious bunch of asparagus.
The snap wasn't accompanied by the usual cheery caption that Jamie usually writes, instead, it featured just four green heart emojis.
His fans were quick to rush to the comments section, which had been deactivated until this week, to welcome the father-of-five back. "Good to have you back here," one wrote. Another said: "Gorgeous. Welcome back and MANY happy returns," accompanied by a green heart emoji.
MORE: Jamie's personal email to staff following restaurant closures revealed
Other loyal followers took the opportunity to wish Jamie a happy birthday, which took place on Bank Holiday Monday. One follower wrote: "Good to see you back, my man. HBD, too," whilst another said: "Happy Belated Birthday!"
This year, Jamie's birthday wasn't marked online, like it has been done in previous years by his wife Jools. The mother-of-five has been absent from social media since 20 May, days before news broke that Jamie's restaurant chain was closing.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe celebrity chef has appointed KPMG as administrators to handle the insolvency process of his Jamie's Italian, Fifteen London and Barbecoa restaurants, leaving up to 1,300 jobs at risk.
The group had been looking for buyers in recent months, but a spokesperson confirmed last week that the restaurants were at the brink of collapse. "I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business for over a decade," Jamie said at the time. "I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected. I would also like to thank all the customers who have enjoyed and supported us over the last decade, it’s been a real pleasure serving you."
