Loose Women’s Kelle Bryan says it’s dangerous to comment on people’s weight

Kelle Bryan has revealed she was encouraged to lose weight during her time in girlband Eternal in the 1990s when she was a size 14.

The singer, 42, who has previously spoken about battling ‘eating disorders’ in the band, spoke candidly on Wednesday’s Loose Women – and said commenting on a person’s weight can encourage dangerous behaviours. 

She explained she’d been told to lose weight while the band and added she was also told as a young child she’d never be a professional dancer because of her size.

Danger:Kelle Bryan has revealed she was encouraged to lose weight during her time in girlband Eternal when she was a size 14

 Kelle said: ‘I was in leotard and tights from when I was two at dance school. Your weight was always something that was commented on.

‘Dance teachers would say, “You’re not going to be able to continue as a ballerina if you don’t lose weight,” whereas actually it was just my shape.

‘Culturally you’ve got a big bum or whatever and that was something that now, is celebrated, but at the time it was seen as a negative thing.’

The star went on to explain people attempted to make her conform to their need for her to be smaller after she rose to fame in Eternal in 1993.

Music past: The singer, 42, who has previously spoken about battling 'eating disorders' in the band, spoke candidly on Wednesday's Loose Women - and said commenting on a person's weight can encourage dangerous behaviours (pictured 1994)

Music past: The singer, 42, who has previously spoken about battling ‘eating disorders’ in the band, spoke candidly on Wednesday’s Loose Women – and said commenting on a person’s weight can encourage dangerous behaviours (pictured 1994)

She was a size 14 at the time while the British average today is a size 16.

Kelle continued: ‘I was a size 14 in the band and that was seen as too big and a size 14 is a normal, healthy, every day woman.  

‘I was told to lose weight because if you’re coming to making a new video or shooting something, I was definitely told, “You need to lose weight.”

‘As a young impressionable girl I think, well, what’s wrong with me? I was definitely told, “You need to lost weight,” and it was encouraged to lose weight.’

In February this year, Kelle added that she was always called ‘the fat one’ in the girl group, and ‘suffered from eating disorders’ while trying to ‘get skinny’ despite being a size 12 ‘at her biggest’. 

Kelle who was only 17 when she joined the band, added that she was called fat by stylists and hair and make-up teams.   

Pop stardom: Kelle (pictured centre) was a size 14 when she was in Eternal but was told to lose weight during her time in the band

Pop stardom: Kelle (pictured centre) was a size 14 when she was in Eternal but was told to lose weight during her time in the band

‘At my biggest I was like a size for 12 to 14, I was just a normal girl. 

‘But at that point,  when you’re a teenager, it’s at that point where you’re forming those kind of beliefs of yourself and you’re trusting what other people say because you’ve got no clue at that kind of that kind of age, you’re impressionable.

‘That really did stick with me and it did make a big difference in how I saw myself. 

‘It took a long time before I recovered. 

‘We went down spiral down all kinds of different directions with eating disorders and all kinds of things to try and make myself skinny because that’s what I thought. 

‘I did all those kinds of things, but also just as a child I was definitely at school.  

‘I think we were told things in it as a younger person or as a young adult. They really do stick with you, so you’re over that now being called the fat one in the band, or do you still have kind of issue body issues. 

‘I still think I still view myself as somebody fat, you know I do really think about my, my weight, and how I look.’

For help and support with eating disorders contact SEED on (01482) 718130 or visit www.seedeatingdisorders.org.uk 

Sing it loud: Kelle (pictured second from right) was in Eternal with (left to right) Louise Redknapp, Easther Bennett and Vernie Bennett (far right)

Sing it loud: Kelle (pictured second from right) was in Eternal with (left to right) Louise Redknapp, Easther Bennett and Vernie Bennett (far right)