**It was their first TV appearance as a couple, but Sam Faiers and Paul Knightley’s debut on The Baby Diaries didn’t exactly go to plan. **

The ITVBe one-off documented 25-year-old Sam’s journey into motherhood, following the arrival of their son Paul last month. However, while the former TOWIE star’s parenting skills were praised, Paul Senior was slammed by Twitter users and branded ‘controlling’.

During the programme it was revealed Paul, 26, took a nap while Sam was in labour, and he was seen asking her to make him beans on toast while she was breastfeeding.

When Paul was critical of Sam’s choice of outfits for their son, she returned them and said: “He’s just very particular about what he likes.”

Viewers took to Twitter to air their opinions of Paul, and many of them were negative. One user wrote: “Sam Faiers relationship makes me feel nervous so unhealthy and controlling [sic].”

Another added: “Getting so wound up with Sam Faiers boyfriend on her baby diaries show! Controlling, childish and unsupportive! Absolute tool!”

Meanwhile Sam’s fellow former The Only Way Is Essex star Maria Fowler branded the property manager a ‘man child’.

She said: “Watching Sam Faiers baby diaries… so cute! But surprised about her bf though, he seems a bit of a man child? [sic].”

It wasn’t only Paul’s relationship with Sam that came under fire; viewers also branded him and his mother ‘awkward’ and ‘strange’.

After he was shown kissing mum Gaynor, one tweeter hit out: “Just watched Sam Faiers baby programme. Her boyfriend and his mother are very creepy… Strange relationship.”

But it wasn’t all negative. Model Nicola McLean commented: “Watching @SamanthaFaiers #babydiaries crying! It’s just so cute @ITVBe [sic].”

**Sam has yet to comment on the Twitter reaction. **