Celebrity chef 'accidentally hit by ham'

Rex Features

Celebrity chef Paula Deen was accidentally hit by a ham during a recent charity event, according to The AP.

The Food Network star was reportedly helping a homeless organisation unload the produce in Atlanta yesterday when someone jokingly the threw the ham at her.

Speaking to local station WGCL-TV, she said: "I thought it busted my lip but it didn't! I'm okay, it just knocked me for a little bit!"

Her representative later added to Us magazine: "[She was] startled at first, but quickly regained focus and kept her humour. She's okay now and is icing her face."

Deen explained that she had thrown a ham to another volunteer but had not expected him to throw it back to her.

The Thanksgiving charity event had been organised by Hosea Feed The Hungry & Homeless on behalf of Smithfield Foods.