EastEnders actress Natalie Cassidy claims she was fat-shamed whilst she was in Strictly Come Dancing in 2009.
Natalie was partnered with professional dancer Vincent Simone and recently recalled how she was once asked to lift him during a routine, despite this being a typical move for the male partner.
The 38-year-old actress has lost an incredible four stone since the incident that she slammed as “out of order”.
On Rylan Clark’s podcast Ry-Union, Cassidy spoke to the TV personality about the experience: “Vincenzo was quite little and I remember one week [they said] ‘We’re going to do this dance, but you’re going to pick up Vincent,’ and now I think that was out of order.”
(Image: PA)
She said that BBC bosses “couldn’t do that now” but also reflected on the good times she had while competing for the Glitterball Trophy.
She admitted that Strictly was her “best job outside of Eastenders” and scoffed at the thought of calling it a job, as she enjoyed learning how to dance so much.
Natalie and Vincent had a long run on the seventh series of Strictly and were voted out in fifth place.
(Image: WireImage)
“We were like brother and sister. All week we just laughed the whole time. We just had the best time and I loved it. I loved the glitz, the glamour,” she said as she recalled her time with Vincent.
Daily Star has contacted a BBC spokesperson for comment.
Natalie says she has struggled with her weight throughout her life and has seen it fluctuate due to childbirth and marathon training.
She revealed to Express Saturday magazine last year that she is now feeling more positive about herself: “I feel very at ease with myself now, as I’ve gotten older. Throughout the years I’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs.”
(Image: natcass1/Instagram)
She began her acting career on EastEnders at nine years old and shared that being in the public eye at a young age left her up for scrutiny about her weight.
Natalie said she was once called a “beached whale” and has yo-yoed from a dress size six to a sixteen.
The mother-of-one credits her love of running towards training for the 2019 London Marathon, which helped her to shed the pounds but told Heat magazine that it resulted in a “borderline eating disorder” due to laxative consumption.
If you’re worried about your health or the health of somebody else, you can contact SEED eating disorder support service on 01482 718130 or on their website, https://seedeatingdisorders.org.uk.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
