Loose Women panellist Nadia Sawalha has ignited a social media firestorm after making controversial comments about a friend's use of weight loss jabs during a segment discussing body shaming. The 61-year-old television personality, who has been part of the ITV daytime show since its 1999 launch, found herself at the centre of criticism after viewers accused her of contradicting her own anti-body shaming stance.
The Controversial Comments
During a recent episode focusing on whether body shaming has become worse than ever, Sawalha acknowledged that many women are choosing to use weight loss injections. "A lot of women are taking the [weight loss] jab, and it's up to them," she stated before adding the remark that would trigger widespread backlash.
The presenter revealed she has several friends currently using weight loss jabs but expressed concern about one particular friend who she said had become "very, very thin" after using the treatment. This specific comment about her friend losing "far too much weight" immediately drew criticism from viewers who perceived it as hypocritical given the discussion's context.
Social Media Backlash Erupts
Viewers quickly took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express their disappointment and anger at what they saw as clear body shaming from the presenter. One viewer pointed out the contradiction, writing: "Nadia: 'We shouldn't be body shaming other women...' Also Nadia: 'I have a friend who has lost far too much weight...'"
Many users shared their personal experiences with thin-shaming, with one person revealing: "I can't stand body shaming, I've experienced so much body shaming for being thin and it's disgusting, I can't help the body I have, I eat normally yet called anorexic! #LooseWomen."
Another user recounted similar experiences, stating: "When I was very young I was naturally very thin. The amount of body shaming I got was unreal especially from middle-aged women in the workplace. Even female friends did it. You don't call people fatty so don't do it #LooseWomen."
Nadia's Own Body Shaming Experience
The controversy comes despite Sawalha having previously spoken openly about her own experiences as a victim of body shaming. In a past interview with The Sun, she recalled a particularly hurtful comment from a wardrobe mistress during her acting career that left her "devastated" and haunted her for years.
The incident occurred when she weighed 9st 7lb and was working on a sitcom alongside her thinner sister, actress Julia Sawalha, 57. "The wardrobe mistress said to me: 'You're such a difficult size, you're nothing like your sister.' I was devastated. It haunted me for years, that," she confessed.
Sawalha has been transparent about her ongoing struggles with weight and food, having previously attended Overeaters Anonymous to address what she describes as an "addiction" to food. She explained her relationship with food as emotional, comparing it to how others might use alcohol to cope with daily challenges.
Despite creating a weight loss DVD in 2010 titled "Fat To Fab" that saw her drop from a size 18 to a 10 after losing 3st 7lb, Sawalha has since admitted that she was "miserable" during that period of her life, despite the DVD cover promising "effective and long-lasting" results.
The incident has highlighted the ongoing complexities surrounding body image discussions in the media and the fine line between expressing concern and engaging in body shaming. Loose Women continues to air weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 and is available for streaming on ITVX.
