THIS Morning star Gok Wan looked totally different in a throwback snap shown on today’s programme.
The multi-talented star was agony aunt for the day, responding to viewers’ body image hang-ups during a phone-in segment.
Gok Wan has battled with body image over the years
ITVThe fashion guru is now much happier and views body image through a different lens than he used to[/caption]
He touched on his own self-esteem issues when helping one caller feel fabulous at 40, showing a picture of himself as an overweight 21-year-old.
He said: “I’ve thought about this question a lot because when I was younger, I’ve spoken about this publicly. I really struggled with my weight and still do actually, I’ll always live with my eating disorder as a result of it, and I was 21 stone as a kid and then I lost all my weight of me really big and me very painfully thin. The difference is when I look at that picture now I don’t see size or weight, what I see is the same person.”
TV star Gok, who is well-known for hosting shows including How to Look Good Naked and Gok’s Fashion Fix, weighed 21 stone when he worked in his family’s Chinese restaurant in Leicester.
Speaking on the ITV show previously, he said: “We loved our food. We had a restaurant, food was epicentre of life.
“We were fine, it was the everyone else who had a problem with the way we looked.
“It wasn’t until I was 21 stone and moved to London to go to drama school that I saw people looked very different to me.”
The presenter has spoken out about the bullying he endured growing up due to the fact that he was gay, overweight and mixed race.
He previously opened up about losing 11 stone in just eight months when his eating disorder was at its worst – and later developed anorexia while at university.
The stylist previously opened up about his battles with food during an appearance on Loose Women in May 2017.
Speaking about his lowest point, Gok said: “I was monstrous…I was 6ft 1” and overweight.
“My eating disorder started when I went to drama school. I looked around me and everyone was this big and beautiful and I was this big oaf and I remember feeling really…this isn’t right.
“I started dieting and controlled my food intake. I still have my food diary from that time.
“I reduced my meals down to two teaspoons of honey every day. I could go to college in the morning and then go to work in the evening. Of course I couldn’t and I was exhausted…but for me it was all about the control.”
Gok, who previously said he has gained confidence with his new figure, has since developed a healthier relationship with his body.
He added: “I did reinvent myself. But I feel like I’m still that fat kid who would sit in the room and not want to be centre of attention. I’m very shy deep down.
“I’ve had wonderful experiences in my life, and I feel like my life has only just started.”
GettyGok reinvented himself from his shy school days and is now a larger than life personality[/caption]