Blake Lively embroiled in new controversy as unexpected appearance at donut shop leads to an investigation

A donut shop Blake Lively worked at has been investigated on health and safety grounds, throwing the Gossip Girl star into fresh controversy.

Earlier this week, Lively, 37, joined the elite cohort of celebrities who’ve decided to take on random hospitality shifts over the last couple of years.

You may remember in 2023 when ‘Video Games’ singer Lana Del Rey was spotted working in an Alabama café, or when Sabrina Carpenter set up shop in Blank Street Coffee.

Now, Lively took on shift in a small Connecticut business selling donuts - owned by a friend - which has since been cleared of any health code violations.

While working behind the scenes at Rise Doughnuts, the mother-of-four used a mixer to make the dough and also put out sweet treats for loyal customers.

Blake Lively's stint in a donut shop has caused controversy (Rise Doughnuts)

“Baking with genius food friends and their kitchen mixer the size of a car,” she wrote on Instagram. “This is what my happy place looks like.”

In another post, Lively could be seen standing over a tray of baked goods without wearing a hairnet or her hair up.

So, what exactly is the controversy over a seemingly innocent gesture?

Well, her decision to not tie her hair back has caused backlash online, with the store being review-bombed online via Yelp, according to reports by TMZ.

As well as receiving a spade of one-star complaints, owners Hugh Mangum and Laura Malon were allegedly under investigation by the Wilton Health Department over alleged unsanitary practices.

The investigation into Rise Doughnuts has now concluded (Instagram/@blakelively)

The Daily Mail reports that the state enforcer received an ‘anonymous’ complaint about the It Ends with Us star working in the kitchen without a hairnet, covering, hat, or hair-tie.

It’s alleged that since the investigation into Rise Doughnuts has concluded, the owners will not face any fines due to official complaints made against Lively.

UNILAD has contacted the Wilton Health Department for further comment.

The A Simple Favor favorite’s doughnut debacle comes just days after a fan claimed she retaliated to being videoed in a Texas hotel lobby.

Last month, Lively was staying in Hotel 1928 with her children when she spotted someone filming her on their smartphone.

Blake Lively is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with Justin Badoni (NILS MEILVANG/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)

The next morning, Lively reportedly confronted her.

“We were loading up our car and I heard, 'Hi', and it was a woman's voice," Kaityln Cooper, of Houston told the Daily Mail. "I looked up, and see [Lively]. She's got her phone up [as if she was recording me]. Out of instinct, I just said 'Hi' back, because what do you say?"

Cooper alleges that her former idol began circling their car all while pretending to video her.

UNILAD has previously contacted both Blake Lively's representatives and Hotel 1928 for comment.

The hotel lobby incident also comes amid her filed lawsuit against It Ends with Us director Justin Baldoni.

Justin Baldoni worked with Lively on the set of It Ends with Us (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

She has accused the 41-year-old of sexual harassment and starting a smear campaign against her, while Baldoni’s countersuit is suing Lively for civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.

Baldoni is also suing Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane and Sloane's PR firm, Vision PR.

The actors are due to appear in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York March 9, 2026.