Nigel Lythgoe Stands By Controversial 'Nasty Nigel' Remarks to Hear'Say Star
Television personality Nigel Lythgoe, who earned the notorious nickname 'Nasty Nigel' for his harsh critiques as a judge on ITV's 2001 talent show Popstars, has recently faced renewed backlash after a clip resurfaced of him telling Hear'Say star Kym Marsh to 'lose weight'. The 76-year-old has now doubled down on his comments, insisting they were directed at the entire band rather than Marsh personally.
Record Company Pressure and Christmas Indulgence
Speaking on Magic Radio's Popstars at 25: The Story of a Talent Show Revolution, Lythgoe explained the context behind his controversial remarks. 'I think it's a different time,' he acknowledged. 'Funny thing is, it was the record company who said to me "You've got to go in there and gee them up", because that was when they were all in the house living together.'
Lythgoe described how the band members had become 'lazy and just enjoying Christmas' during their time together in the house, which he claimed was fair but problematic for the record company's timeline. 'The record company needed an album out and it was all sort of laid back,' he explained.
The Infamous Exchange with Kym Marsh
In the original clip that has circulated online, Marsh asked Lythgoe directly, 'Do you think I'm fat?' to which he responded, 'I think you've put weight on over Christmas, are you exercising, is the diet right?' When Marsh revealed she had just started her diet that day, Lythgoe pressed further: 'You need to lose some weight you're going on show six weeks from now, six weeks.'
Reflecting on the incident, Lythgoe admitted, 'Christmas is gone the goose is still fat. And Kym I obviously hit a nerve without realising it and it really upset her.' He maintained that his comments were aimed at 'all of them' in the band rather than specifically targeting Marsh.
Dance Background Influences Tough Approach
Lythgoe attributed his strict approach to his background in professional dance. 'I grew up as a dancer a very much different world,' he explained. 'My granddaughter was a ballerina in Russia and if they put on a pound they were told to loose it immediately. So that is the background that I grew up in, you really had to keep fit.'
He extended this philosophy to pop singers, arguing that 'singer's are athletes too, they've got to look after their bodies and voices. The tours that they do nowadays are exhausting.' When pressed on whether such comments would be acceptable today, Lythgoe conceded, 'Yeah I don't necessarily agree with it I will be quite frank. I think as long as you are healthy that is good.'
Band Members Speak Out About Industry Pressures
Last year, fellow Hear'Say member Myleene Klass reshared the controversial video to her Instagram Stories, revealing that fat-shaming was a 'daily' occurrence during their time in the spotlight. She described how stylists would 'cut the sizes out of some bands outfits to hide the 'shame' of 'double digits'.'
Klass elaborated on the extreme measures taken by their management, explaining that tour managers would 'clear out our mini bars and food because they thought were trying to control how much we were eating because they thought we were just too fat.' She recalled, 'Before we walked into a studio our tour manager would get a big bag and clear out our food, treating us like we were children because we couldn't be trusted.'
Lasting Impact on Band Members
Kym Marsh has been open about her struggles with self-image, revealing she developed bulimia after comparing herself to smaller girls at stage school. Despite the controversy, Lythgoe has praised Marsh's subsequent career, saying, '[She's] looking fabulous now, acting brilliantly, and she's made a huge career for herself.'
Hear'Say, formed on Popstars in 2001, achieved initial success with their number one hit Pure and Simple and their debut album Popstars. However, their popularity declined rapidly, leading to their breakup in October 2002 after less than two years together. The band cited 'abuse from the public' as a primary reason for their dissolution.
Reflecting on the pressures faced by young people in the spotlight, Klass told Loose Women viewers that their management would 'control how much we were eating' out of fear they would become 'fat'. She noted that while things have improved since then, 'Some of the experiences that we went through we were in no way equipped for it. We were just five kids in a room at the end of the day.'
