A Place In The Sun star Scarlette Douglas has revealed that she has been battling with her body image since the age of 16 and appearing on I’m A Celebrity triggered her insecurities
TV host Scarlette Douglas has said appearing on I’m A Celeb triggered her body dysmorphia to the point that she couldn’t wait to live off rice and beans because it meant she would lose a stone.
The former A Place In The Sun presenter, 38, who is 10st 10lbs, opened about her historic battle with an eating disorder. She said: “It’s something that’s been drilled into me from all those years ago, I feel like I’m overweight. Even when I did [I’m A Celeb] I was like: I can’t believe I’m going on that show.
“OK, no make-up. Fine, I’ll get over that but being as big as I am, I cannot wait to get on there, eat rice and beans and lose a stone.”
Former musical theatre star Scarlette appeared on I’m A Celeb in 2022 alongside former politician Matt Hancock, ex-England footballer Jill Scott and comedian Seann Walsh and was the second out after Loose Women’s Charlene White.
The TV host has been battling with her body image since the age of 16 when she attended a performing arts college where she says students would be weighed every month.
She said: “We would get told if we’d put weight on, we were going to a nutritionist who would be putting us on a diet, we would be eating seeds, literally. That’s why I always have seeds now because I’m always picking.”
Scarlette continued: “It was horrendous and you look back and you think, oh my gosh, how impressionable we are as young people to have those above us that we put in high regard telling us that we’re too fat or telling us X, Y, Z.
“So I ended up getting an eating disorder and even to this day I still struggle with my weight.” She added: “Coming from being a professional dancer, obviously I was toned and everything was great. Now, I feel like I’m a good stone, two stone overweight.
“I’m a size 10, great. But I’d like to be a good real solid size 8 as opposed to a 10 maybe a 12. I’m about 10st 10Ibs now. If I could I would like to be like 9st.”
Scarlette performed in the West End shows Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors and as a backing singer on Thriller Live before joining the presenting line-up on A Place In The Sun.
She left the holiday-home series in 2022 and fronted property development show Worst House on the Street with her brother Stuart, a former pro footballer, and appeared on I’m A Celeb.
She’s not the only star to say going on the show triggered their eating disorder. Vamps guitarist James Brittain-McVey revealed back in 2022 that during his jungle stint in 2018, made his battle with anorexia worse.
He explained: “I came out of that show 5/6kg lighter and when my wife saw me, she was shocked, almost scared by how ill I looked. However, I thought immediately I kind of looked good again.”
The star, 31, added: “I had a six-pack in a way that I hadn’t for 10 years, since the beginning of my issues with food and mental health. And I think without realising, I still had unanswered demons in my head about my body.”
Scarlette has had a tumultuous love life over the years but appears to have finally found her happy ever after with Kyle, who works in fitness and nutrition.
They started dating in May last year after meeting at the gym and their relationship has gone from strength to strength. After remaining tight-lipped over his identity for months, she finally named him in a Valentine’s Day post.
Now, Scarlette credits him for being her voice of reason when it comes to her struggles with her body image.
She said: “This is what I love about my boyfriend as someone who comes from fitness and nutrition because he’s very much like: ‘You have to remember your body now at 38 was not your body at 21, you’re going through things rigorously and you don’t dance eight shows a week. You’re a woman and a black woman, you’re supposed to have curves, you’re not supposed to be stick thin’.”
The Mirror approach ITV for comment.
* Scarlette is promoting Keys Or Coffee, the UK’s first interactive property prize draw, alongside her brother Stuart Douglas.
If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk
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