‘Top Chef’ Host Padma Lakshmi ‘Living In A Nightmare’ Following Public Custody Battle

“Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi is reportedly “devastated” after a custody battle with the father of her 11-month-old daughter, Krishna Thea, went public.

A source told People that the Bravo beauty is “devastated” that Adam Dell has made their custody fight public.

“She said ‘I’m living in a nightmare,’ ” the friend told the mag. “She’s a single working mother who is trying very hard to have a peaceful and calm environment for her daughter. The recent events are making it difficult.”

Dell’s lawyer told the mag, “There was no desire for publicity and Adam regrets that there is some – but [he] can’t help it given that he was forced to go to court to assert his rights as a father.”

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com via the Associated Press, Dell filed a lawsuit on Wednesday asking for custody of Krishna and to change her last name from Lakshmi to Dell. He also claimed that Lakshmi is trying to portray her boyfriend, Ted Forstmann, as the child’s father. According to The Associated Press, Dell submitted a paternity test showing that he is the father of the child.

Lakshmi’s lawyer responded to those claims, telling People, “Ms. Lakshmi looks forward to correcting the record in the courts, not the press. She is saddened and gravely disappointed that Mr. Dell has chosen a very public means of filing his petition with the court rather than doing so in a confidential or sealed manner, which is customary in cases involving a very young child.”

Adding, “Ms. Lakshmi’s sole interest lies in preserving the privacy and welfare of her daughter and in working out and fair and amicable agreement out of the media’s glare.”

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