‘TOWIE’ star Harry Derbidge has opened up about his struggle with an eating disorder, during an appearance on ‘This Morning’.
The reality TV show star told hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes about his ten-year struggle, before revealing how he overcame his food issues.
Harry Derbidge
"I've always been a fussy eater from the age of eight. It started for me as being fussy and turned into a bit of OCD with my food, so my poor mum used to bring me out my food and everything would have to be separate,” he explained. “It was an OCD thing, it couldn't be touching, and I'm still such a fussy eater today and everything I eat is completely plain. But at the time I didn't see it as a problem."
"For me, food has never been a priority... I've never been interested. It would be the last thing on my mind.”
"I used to look at food and if I didn't like the look of it or smell of it or touch of it, I'd always make sure that I'd hide it behind my tongue and forever going to the toilet and spill it all out,” Harry admitted. “That would happen two or three times during a meal."
"It never made me miserable, but I always remember being very very tired, being very lazy because I had no energy... and I also remember how cold I used to get in the winter because I had no meat on me.
“I was just skin and bone, so I used to really shiver and shake all the time."
Harry and his 'TOWIE' cast mates in Marbella
After a trip to the doctors revealed his weight was dangerously low, Harry realised his habits needed to change.
“It took a long time, but I literally found what I enjoyed eating,” he continued. “I would eat six meals a day but make them small and still plain, maybe nuts during the day, protein shakes...
“Right now, I'm at ten stone and I'm more happy in the way I look and how I feel, if I could put on another stone that would be perfect."
Harry also addressed the reaction he received when he donned that thong in Marbella, laughing and telling the hosts: “"Two years ago, I would never have dreamt of doing that! For me to do that was such a big thing and hearing the response from those pictures - everyone loved them, it went global!"
Harry was one of the original ‘TOWIE’ cast members and appeared on the show from 2010 to 2011.
After a prolonged absence, he then returned after starting a relationship with Bobby Norris.