Anthea Turner and the cartoon she posted on Twitter last week caused many to accuse her of insensitivity.
None more so than Piers Morgan, who called her “despicable“.
However, the 60-year-old presenter has clarified her comments and doubled-down.
She now claims that overweight people are “willingly destroying” their own bodies and by losing weight they could save the NHS.
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What did Anthea Turner convey in her cartoon?
Last week, Anthea came under fire for the now-deleted cartoon she posted on social media.
In it, an overweight woman sitting on a scooter and sipping on a McDonald’s drink told off a slimmer, younger woman for not wearing a mask.
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In subsequent tweets, she said that obese people and their “lazy life choices” were putting the NHS at risk.
“Sadly those of us who have genuinely tried to protect the NHS by looking after our bodies are paying the terrible price for those who have chosen lazy lifestyle choices,” she wrote.
What did Anthea say today?
In an interview with The Sun today (February 13) she reinforced her message, although she did apologise for any “offence” caused.
“I find it really difficult and struggle to understand how someone who was lucky enough to be born with a good, functioning working body could then willingly destroy it,” she said.
This was never meant to be about people who are overweight through no fault of their own.
“This was never meant to be about people who are overweight through no fault of their own.
“This is about those who are not adopting a healthy lifestyle at a time when it’s more important than ever because we have a very worrying obesity problem in this country.”
She went on to say that the cartoon was not about fat-shaming, it was about saving people’s lives and “other people’s too”.
You're blaming 120,000+ covid deaths on the victims being lazy?
What a repellent, dumb & grotesquely offensive attitude.
Shame on you. https://t.co/LBMT4pgaAF— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 12, 2021
How did Piers respond?
Anthea’s original cartoon provoked the ire of GMB host Piers.
He quoted one of her tweets, and said: “You’re blaming 120,000+ deaths on the victims being lazy?
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“What a repellent, dumb and grotesquely offensive attitude.
“Shame on you.”
Anthea apologised, but has reinforced her healthy living messsage.
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