EASTENDERS star Natalie Cassidy claims she was “damaged” by doing her fitness DVD, which saw her pocket £100,000 for shedding four stone.
The actress – who quit playing soap favourite Sonia Fowler in April after 32 years – was offered a bumper pay cheque to release two weight loss DVDs in 2007.
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Speaking on Giovanna Fletcher on her Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, Natalie, 40, opened up about the damaging effect the weight loss deal had on her.
Host Giovanna said: “I know that in the years to come you do find yourself in a place where you are completely comfortable with your body.”
Natalie, who has been promoting her new book Happy Days, replied: “I am but I think it damaged me doing that.
“Well I still would look in the mirror and go ‘oh I could be this, could be that.’
“But I think that is just us today.
“I just think it’s what we’re seeing all the time as women and men, but as women, I think it’s a scary world when you think about what we look like all the time.”
The soap actress opened up about signing up to do the DVD at a vulnerable time – and said she regrets her decision.
She added: “I’d lost mum at 19 so all of that weight stuff was happening through all of that time.
“Silly decisions were being made, shouldn’t have done that, not the right guidance.
“It’s a silly thing to do but if someone says ‘here’s £100,000 you want to lose some weight?’ I was like ‘yeah, I’ll take that’.”
Natalie said losing weight for the DVD left her “worse off” with her body.
She explained: “It took a turn for the worse, I put loads of weight on very, very quickly afterwards, if not more.
“I think I just ate loads and then I started taking laxatives at some point.
“And you know I would never say I had an eating disorder, I’m very fortunate to say that, but you know I think if I had carried on with laxatives and this and that, who knows where I’d be.”
Natalie said that raising her daughters Eliza, 14, and Joanie, eight, helped her snap out the cycle.
She said: “I think because you’re not the be all and end all. You have those kids and that’s it. You forget about yourself.
“All you worry about, all you focus on is if they’re well cared for, their dinner, what they’re eating, what they’re wearing, are they sleeping. that that was my focus and the idea of worrying about what I look like kind of fell to the wayside.”
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DIET PILL RUMOURS
However, attention on her weight has not eased up over the years.
Just last year, Natalie, who has been with her BBC cameraman fiance Marc Humphrey since 2014, was forced to deny she used diet pills to lose weight.
Her fans were targeted by scams online and the actress took to her social media to clarify that she recently lost her weight by cutting out treats.
The actress previously told The Sun: “I cut out rubbish. I cut down on alcohol too, even though I love white wine.”
“Alcohol is full of hidden calories, which all add up when it comes to a person’s daily limit.”
WEIGHT LOSS JABS
On the podcast, she denied using weight loss jabs too.
Natalie explained: “I’ve never gone through any injectable route.
“I’ve not done Botox before or lip filler. I just haven’t. So to inject something, I’m just scared of it.”
Giovanna, 40 – mum to Buzz, 11, Buddy, nine, and Max, six – gave her own views on weight loss jabs and admitted that they have come up on her radar.
It’s a silly thing to do but if someone says ‘here’s £100,000 you want to lose some weight?’ I was like ‘yeah, I’ll take that’
Natalie Cassidy
The wife of McFly’s Tom Fletcher, explained: “Only because I’ve had people going and doing it in a way where it’s almost discussed in a way that they’re trying to encourage you to do it.
“I’m like, I don’t want to do that. No, I’m not interested.
“It feels so bizarre to go from ‘this is me’ to a ‘let’s change myself’, and for what?
“I don’t think anyone would like me more if I’m skinny.
“I don’t think anyone would love me more. I don’t think I’ll be happier.
“I think it would do the opposite.”
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What are the side effects of weight loss jabs?
Like any medication, weight loss jabs can have side effects.
Common side effects of injections such as Ozempic include:
Nausea: This is the most commonly reported side effect, especially when first starting the medication. It often decreases over time as your body adjusts.
Vomiting: Can occur, often in conjunction with nausea.
Diarrhea: Some people experience gastrointestinal upset.
Constipation: Some individuals may also experience constipation.
Stomach pain or discomfort: Some people may experience abdominal pain or discomfort.
Reduced appetite: This is often a desired effect for people using Ozempic for weight loss.
Indigestion: Can cause a feeling of bloating or discomfort after eating.
Serious side effects can also include:
Pancreatitis: In rare cases, Ozempic may increase the risk of inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can cause severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Kidney problems: There have been reports of kidney issues, including kidney failure, though this is uncommon.
Thyroid tumors: There’s a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer, although this risk is based on animal studies. It is not confirmed in humans, but people with a history of thyroid cancer should avoid Ozempic.
Vision problems: Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may affect vision, and some people have reported blurry vision when taking Ozempic.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Especially if used with other medications like sulfonylureas or insulin.