I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmate Charlene White has spoken about the negative comments she receives about her weight.
One time she was left "so upset" after one viewer went out of their way to email in and say her size was "unacceptable". The ITV News presenter and Loose Women panellist, 42, received the blunt message 15 years ago, a year after she started on the channel – leaving her feeling "disgusting" about her body.
But even though she still remembers that initial email, she has now learned to "tolerate" such abuse, saying that she knows she is "good at her job" regardless of her appearance, The Mirror reports.
Speaking to Top Sante Magazine, Charlene said: "I'm comfortable in my skin. A year into starting at ITV, 15 years ago, I was working overnight shifts and an email came through at 10pm with 'your weight' in the subject line.
"The email said, 'You can't fail to notice that you're bigger than other news presenters. It's something that you need to deal with. It's unacceptable that you are the size you are.'
"I was so upset and it made me compare myself to other people, which, of course, is very unhealthy, but I couldn't help but look at myself and think, 'I'm disgusting.'
"With age and confidence, I've learned to tolerate communication such as that. I'm good at my job, irrespective of what I look like. Comments about my weight now don't bother me."
Charlene – who has son Alfie, five, and daughter Florence, three, with her TV executive partner Andy – has restarted weight training this summer and admits that she loves taking on "fitness challenges" to get stronger. These challenges are likely to help her when she is in the jungle and doing bush tucker trials.
She added: "My weight has fluctuated since I was in my late teens, so training is not about me losing weight. It's about me feeling strong, and I definitely now feel stronger.
"I love fitness and challenges. I love squatting a particular weight, then the following week trying to smash that barrier. As I lift heavier and heavier, I realise I'm getting stronger. My brain works very well in that way."
Charlene arrived in Brisbane on Thursday and is getting ready for I'm A Celebrity – but she has admitted some aspects will be a challenge.
She said: "I think if I was ever to do a show such as I'm A Celebrity the issues will mainly be the outdoors, I don't do bugs, I don't do spiders, I don't do any of those things. So why would I sign up?!
"There are several facets to me so perhaps I would surprise people. Who knows? Maybe you will see a different side."
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