Yesterday, Tilly Ramsay - daughter ofGordon - issued a statement after being subject to horrendous body shaming comments live on radio. LBC host Steve Allen thought it was a good idea to quip yesterday morning: 'She's a chubby little thing, isn't she? Have you notice? Probably her dad's cooking, I should imagine.' Tilly, who is currently appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, uploaded a clip of the presenter saying the dreadful remarks - and said that while she tries to ignore 'negativity', 'being called out on a national radio station by a 67-year-old man is a step too far'.
The post currently has over 350,000 likes, and Tilly has garnered support from celebrity friends, Strictly co-stars, and the public who are outraged that a 67-year-old thinks it's OK to comment on a teenager's weight for a cheap laugh. She's also currently trending on Twitter, as people tweet their well wishes.
Love Island's Dr Alex George - youth mental health ambassador for the government - took matters into his own hands, and encouraged his followers to write to LBC and complain. Sharing a screenshot of the email he sent, Alex explained why discussing people's weight in public forums can be damaging, not just for Tilly, but for anyone listening. 'I am absolutely horrified by these remarks. It is widely recognised just how damaging such comments about someone's weight are and the effect they can have on an individual's mental health,' he said. 'We must not only think of the effect on Tilly here, which I can imagine would be significant, but also the potential impact to listeners of the show.'
He also pointed out just how many people struggle with eating disorders, with the numbers of those affected worryingly increasing. 'I am sure LBC, and Global as a whole, do not condone such comments,' he said. 'We are currently seeing a rise in the prevalence of eating disorders, with up to 3.4million people in the UK currently being affected. We must not underestimate the impact such remarks can have, feeding into the potential cycle of weight stigma that still exists here in the UK.'
We completely agree with Dr Alex about how damaging these remarks can be, and we hope Tilly realises how supported she is. And how powerful - and dignified - her statement was, (especially compared to the disgraceful comments made by man in his sixties). As she said herself, it's not okay to 'comment and scrutinise anyone's weight and appearance'.Sadly, some people still need to learn that.
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