Candice Brown reveals body-shamers left her in tears

‘Real life is wobbly bits and stretch marks’

Candice Brown has spoken of her struggle against online trolls, explaining how cruel comments regarding her figure shattered her body confidence.

Speaking on Lorraine, the Great British Bake Off winner held back tears as she recalled returning from holiday in Las Vegas earlier this year with anxieties about her figure ahead of her impending wedding.

“I put my wedding dress on and I burst into tears,” the 33-year-old said, holding back tears, "I was terrified I wasn’t going to fit into it”.

The former TV star shared some of the comments she’d seen circulating online with regards to snaps of her in a bikini, including one which read: “Her figure is horrible, I would go to the gym if I was her.”

Another person commented: “Clearly you should lose weight for your wedding, you should put down the cakes.”

Brown explained how she wished the criticisms didn’t affect her as adversely as they did and went on to question what impact such comments would have on younger generations.

“What precedent are we sitting for young girls and young boys?” she said, “I get married in two and half weeks, I am fine the way I am. Everyone is fine the way they are.”

Brown also took the opportunity to praise plus-size model Tess Holliday, whose appearance on the cover of the latest issue of Cosmopolitan has sparked a wave of controversy, describing her figure as “incredible”.

“Instagram isn’t real life,” Brown added, “real life is wobbly bits and stretch marks which we’ve all got.”

The author and columnist also addressed the comments she’d received from people claiming she was pregnant after she’d posted a photograph on Instagram alongside a good friend.

“I’m having to justify myself not being pregnant,” she told Lorraine.

“Because I didn’t breathe in? They don’t know what has happened in my private life, our private life, I don’t know when it ever became ok for someone or anybody to say publicly ‘are you pregnant, you should be ashamed of yourself, you’re drinking when you’re pregnant.’

“No, I’d just had a milkshake and quite a big burger.”