Jameela Jamil divides fans over Ariana Grande comments as singer 'to step back' from public life
Warning: This article contains discussion of eating disorders which some readers may find distressing.
Jameela Jamil has divided fans over comments she made about Ariana Grande after the Wicked actor revealed she will stepping back from public life.
Grande will spend some time away from the limelight when her Eternal Sunshine Tour concludes in London next month, PEOPLE magazine first reported.
“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour," a representative told the outlet.
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“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny."
The statement concluded by stating the singer has had a 'beautiful experience' performing her music on stage and that 'she loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour'.
In now-deleted Instagram Stories, actor Jamil argued Grande's team could have better protected the star.
"This poor woman is possibly dying right in front of us," Jamil wrote. "This outfit is designed to accentuate the thinness for discourse. Her team are thoroughly irresponsible for not guiding her away from this deeply damaging image for her young fans to see so glamorized.
"The shrinking pop star situation is something of a trolley problem. If we comment on her body, we could harm her mental health, which would be awful, and nobody wants that. If we don't comment on her body, we run the risk of normalising that image to hundreds of millions of teenage girls, kids and even impressionable adults, consuming her content. "Content which is pointedly accentuating her bones and tiny frame with belts and corsets."
The actor added: "I think it's worth considering that the pop star in question has access to a lot of mental health care and the best facilities on the planet, where as the fans watching, largely don't.
"Many have no support system equipped to handle the deadly clutches of anorexia. Her most recent images are flooding pro- anorexia websites and teenage girls are saying 'goals'."
Jamil concluded the lengthy Instagram Story with: "When will it be time to intervene as a public and stop normalising, glamorising, and on some occasions championing this? When we lose a young woman in the public eve?
"Sending everyone love, and if you're triggered or inspired by imagery of skin and bones on your favourite pop star please have a look at the work of @neda or @alliancefored."
One social media user suggested the 40-year-old's comments were 'not helpful', while a second added: "Ariana has made it clear that comments about her body affect her deeply. Imo this should've been a private message to her personally or ppl close to her."
Another person agreed, suggesting that Jamil should have said this to Grande 'personally'.
Others backed Jamil, with one person suggesting: "It’s good celebrities are now coming out and discussing this topic."
Jamil clarifies comments after dividing opinion
Following the backlash, Jamil went on to clarify her comments, as she spoke about her own struggles with anorexia.
She added: "My point stands, that this is deeply irresponsible for all the people involved to deliver this aesthetic as glamorous to the many billions of girls and women consuming this imagery.
"I feel extremely bad for Ariana having almost died of anorexia myself. And it was only due to the people around me intervening INSENSITIVELY once I wilfully ignored (and sort of enjoyed) their careful concern, that l survived.
"I don't know Ariana and pray she recovers. I don't think she's in the comments sections of tiny posts, but young girls watching are, and we need to signal to THEM that this is not the time to pretend this is ok, just because 'we shouldn't talk about other people's bodies'."
UNILAD has reached out to Grande and Jamil's representatives for comment.
Topics: Ariana Grande, Celebrity
Callum Jones