Victoria Beckham has revealed that she struggled with an eating disorder, describing how being in the public eye from a young age led her to control her weight in an 'incredibly unhealthy way'. The former Spice Girls singer, now 51, spoke candidly in her new Netflix documentary about the toll media scrutiny took on her self-esteem.
Beckham recalled being weighed on television six months after giving birth to her son Brooklyn in 1999, and the subsequent criticism of her appearance. 'I really started to doubt myself and not like myself,' she said. 'I could control my weight and I was controlling it in an incredibly unhealthy way.' She admitted to lying about her struggles, never discussing them with her parents or publicly.
Her husband, David Beckham, noted that in the 1990s and 2000s, it was considered acceptable to criticise women for their weight. He said the negativity caused Victoria to lose the joy she once had, as she went from being a happy, relaxed person to someone deeply affected by the criticism.
The documentary also touches on the emotional impact of the Spice Girls' split in 2001, leaving Beckham feeling isolated after moving to Manchester as a wife with no friends nearby. 'I know what it’s like to have it all one day, and lose it the next,' she said.
For anyone struggling with eating disorders, charities such as Beat and NCFED offer support.
