Celebrity agent, Dermot McNamara, shares his inside knowledge on celeb weight loss deals and now that medication such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro are all the rage, few will admit they’ve actually taken the modern approach to weight loss
Let’s not pretend the public can’t see what’s happening. When a celebrity suddenly drops two dress sizes in record time, we all love to talk about it. It doesn’t just apply to celebrities either. It’s something we’ve all discussed.
What’s changed is the way people are losing it. Usually in our own lives, we’d see people on crash diets, exercising, in some cases getting a gastric band was all the rage. Now it’s the fat jabs. Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro have all changed the game, with fast results and dramatic transformations, yet hardly anyone famous will admit they’re using them.
For some it would be out of shame, because they don’t want to be accused of “cheating.” For others, it’s strategy.
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As a celebrity agent for 14 years, I’ve seen celebrities and helped them mitigate risks. In the instance of the jabs, the first red flag is regulatory.
Unlike in the States, prescription-only medicines can’t be promoted to the public and as we know, the jabs can only be obtained via a prescription from a medical professional. So the moment a celebrity goes on TV openly crediting a weight-loss jab, alarm bells ring. Regulators can view it as indirect advertising, even if it’s just a chat show confession. If you’ve got influence, deals, or any kind of a public platform, you’re held to a higher standard and rightly so.
For presenters and regular TV faces, it’s even trickier. For TV stars who are contracted to shows, there are several different clauses around commercial deals. These vary from shows, for instance soap stars are usually banned from advertising any products altogether. Other shows, which are recorded and aired on a seasonal basis, you’re usually allowed to do when you’re off the show.
Daytime is one of the trickiest to navigate. Once you’re commercially linked to certain brands, your role on screen can change. The most contentious deals revolve around the cosmetic industry, whether it’s endorsing a clinic, having surgery, being the face of a cosmetic product. You can be sidelined from certain debates, told to avoid body or cosmetic topics, or quietly rotated out of segments altogether.
You can’t lead consumer conversations while fronting, as it’s a conflict waiting to happen. BBC Morning Live’s Dr Ranj recently took to Instagram to inform fans he’d stepped back from Morning Live to focus on commercial work, which includes promoting digital healthcare brand Voy, who do prescribe weight loss injections.
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Broadcasters are ultra-sensitive about blurring editorial and advertising, especially when it comes to health. But the bigger truth? Celebrities are businesses.
The second you credit one jab, you limit your future paydays. When there’s noticeable weight loss, especially if it’s a celebrity who’s had a longstanding issue, everyone wants part of the transformation story. Back in the day, they would get a fitness DVD, nowadays it’s wellness brands, fitness apps, lifestyle plans, supplement companies, all willing to pay top dollar to be credited for that celeb’s weight loss.
Then there’s reputation. NHS and government health campaigns are some of the most respected and best paid partnerships out there. They come with credibility and serious goodwill, but they also come with scrutiny.
Public health credibility is fragile. Weight loss is no different. If a celebrity publicly pushes “balanced living” while privately using medical intervention, it risks looking inconsistent and that’s a brand killer.
There’s also the image factor. We all still love the glow-up story, the willpower, the lifestyle overhaul, the “new me.” It’s more inspirational and more relatable, which makes it more marketable. A medical shortcut doesn’t sell the same allure.
So when celebrities dodge the question, there’s an entire backstory and in showbusiness, one honest answer can quietly cost millions.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
