Josie Gibson has learned to love her curves after 'years of hating' her body.
The This Morning presenter, 37, emotionally recalls how she previously made jokes about her figure as she fell victim to a cycle of yo-to dieting but was 'deeply unhappy' and worried no one would ever love or desire her.
Josie - who became a household name when she won Big Brother in 2010 - admits she once thought she would be 'obese for life' and cruel comments from trolls on social media left her feeling rock-bottom at one dark point and contemplating 'ending it all'.
The mum-of-one's weight has fluctuated throughout her 12-years in the spotlight, with the popular star once dropping two dress sizes ahead of releasing two fitness DVDs in 2013.
In 2016, Josie underwent a tummy tuck procedure to remove excess skin from her stomach following her weight loss, after spending years debating whether to have the procedure or not.
Recalling her previous attitude to her own body and diet struggles, Josie says: "I hid my pain and tears with humour, making jokes about myself before others could.
"But inside, I was deeply unhappy, convinced I'd be obese for life and that no-one could ever love or want me."
She went on to share how nasty quips from trolls impacted her mental wellbeing and left the star experiencing a depressing and self-loathing that left her 'under the darkest cloud' she had ever known.
"I came very close one day to ending it all," the presenter tells new! magazine.
Back in 2020, Josie hit back at a unsolicited comment about her figure on social media.
A Twitter user wrote on the platform: "I don’t mean to be rude but @Josiestweet is absolutely vile. It breaks my heart when I look at how fat she has got again."
Josie quote-tweeted the cruel quip and replied: "But you are being rude, so you do mean to be rude.
"Don't let my weight gain break your heart, honestly there is so many more things in the world to care about that really do matter."
Thankfully, Josie is at peace with her body these days and more concerned about keeping active rather than trying to diet in a bid to lose weight.
The star tells new! magazine how despite being a busy mum to son Reggie, four, she was recently shocked to discover how inactive she was at times before signing up to take part in Babybel's Active Living Challenge.
Josie also gushes about pal and fellow Big Brother alum Alison Hammond when chatting to the publication, who has also prioritised their health over recent years.
Alison - who opened up about her new man earlier this month - recently took to her Instagram Stories to repost some pictures of herself showing off her slimmed-down figure as she posed backstage at the ITV show, after losing weight thanks to changing her lifestyle following a pre-diabetic condition diagnosis in 2020.
After the heartbreaking death of her mother in February 2020 following a battle with liver and lung cancer, Alison was inspired to change her eating habits due to doctors diagnosing the star with a pre-diabetic condition in the same year.
"I've never had health issues until then," she explained. "It scared me because my mum had diabetes and I want to be there for my son."
Discussing her diagnosis with This Morning viewers, Alison confessed: "I need to change my ways, and need your help and that includes you guys if you see me out there with chocolates, sweets, please I'm begging you I'm not allowed to have it. I have to change my ways. I'm being serious.
Praising her pal on her weight loss in her latest interview, Josie sweetly says: "She's always been beautiful but, my goodness, this last year she's really come into herself. She's just stunning. Absolutely stunning."
*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk
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