‘I've been struggling to control my eating disorder'

Reality star Nicola McLean speaks candidly about her battle with anorexia, bulimia and body dysmorphia and explains why she’s done with cosmetic surgery

- GEMMA McCARTNEY

As anyone who watched her explosive appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celeb will know, when it comes to Nicola McLean, what you see is what you get.

But when we chat to the reality star this time, the topic of conversation is a sensitive one. In our exclusive interview, Nic, 38, tells new that her lifelong struggle with an eating disorder has reared its ugly head again during lockdown.

The former glamour model reveals she has found it hard to buy many of the things she usually eats, thanks in part to early panic-buying. And with her usual routine in disarray, she has sadly found herself restricting her food intake.

“A lot of people have been relapsing, because it’s been so tough,” Nicola, who has battled anorexia and bulimia since the age of 11, explains. “It’s the first time in my life that it’s been completely out of my control.”

Nicola, who weighed less than 6st at the height of her illness, is mum to boys Rocky, 14, and Striker, 10, with her ex-footballer hubby Tom Williams, 39, and she credits her family for supporting her during her most fragile moments.

“I’m lucky my husband is really good with it,” she confesses. “I say to Tom, ‘I know this sounds absolutely crazy to you, but for me it’s not.’ It’s really hard for me when I order food and they give me substitutes. It makes me want to kill them!”

Here, Nic, who’s now a regular panellist on Channel 5 show Jeremy Vine, reveals the reality of her struggle with eating disorders, confesses she believes she should have been hospitalised and says she doesn’t care what other people think…