‘Horrified’ Dr Alex George Writes Open Letter To LBC Following Damaging Tilly Ramsay Remarks
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Dr Alex George has spoken out in support of Tilly Ramsay, writing an open letter to LBC criticising remarks made by one of the radio station’s presenters about the 19-year-old’s appearance.
In a post shared on Instagram, the former Love Island contestant wrote that he was ‘horrified’ by comments made by Steve Allen, who called the teenager a ‘chubby little thing’ while discussing her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing.
Dr George, who is a Youth Mental Health Ambassador with the Department for Education, said that ‘discussion about a young person’s weight live on air is not acceptable,’ and called on LBC to recognise the potential harm such comments could have on not only their target but also other listeners.
He wrote:
It is widely recognised just how damaging such comments about someone’s weight are and the effect they can have on an individual’s mental health. We must not only think of the effect on Tilly here, which I can imagine could be significant, but also the potential impact to listeners of the show.
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‘We are currently seeing a rise in the prevalence of eating disorders, with up to 3.4million people in the UK currently being affected. We must not underestimate the impact such remarks can have, feeding into the perpetual cycle of weight stigma that stills exists here in the UK’, he continued.
Tilly, who is the daughter of Gordon Ramsay, commented on the post to thank Dr George for his ‘support and kindness,’ with the TV personality having herself issued a statement calling Allen’s comments ‘a step too far.’
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article and would like to speak with someone in confidence, call the BEAT Eating Disorders helpline on 0808 801 0677. Helplines are open 365 days a year from 9am–8pm during the week, and 4pm–8pm on weekends and bank holidays. Alternatively, you can try the one-to-one webchat
Topics: Celebrity, body shaming, Now, Strictly Come Dancing
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@dralexgeorge/Instagram@dralexgeorge/Instagram
