Kimberley Walsh has opened up about the body shaming she faced in Girls Aloud, recalling constant dieting.
The 44-year-old discussed the pressure on HELLO!’s Second Act podcast, hosted by Ateh Jewel.
She also told the magazine how losing her Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding changed her feelings about ageing.
Sarah died at 39, before reaching the milestone birthday Kimberley would go on to celebrate. Their birthdays were just three days apart, making each passing year particularly poignant for the singer.
For Kimberley, being able to grow older is now a privilege, and every birthday brings Sarah’s absence home.
Kimberley Walsh on body shaming in Girls Aloud
Kimberley rose to fame with Girls Aloud in 2002. She described her twenties as a difficult time for dieting.
On the podcast, Kimberley remembered repeatedly dieting and trying to stop comments about her weight from taking hold.
“I really tried to not let it take hold of me because it’s such a dangerous time to comment on a girl’s weight at that age,” she said.
“I was always dieting,” she continued, adding, “Everybody was in those days. I wasn’t a naturally slim person. It was hard for me, at that age.”
She said the culture around women’s bodies was different then, and recalled being singled out for her bum.
Kimberley said: “I got bullied for my bum, and now people pay how much for that? … Now I just need some Spanx to lift mine.”
Girls Aloud announced a 2024 reunion tour across the UK and Ireland. The shows would celebrate their 20-year history and include Sarah’s memory. At the time, they ruled out recording new music following her death.
How Kimberley approaches food and fitness now
These days, Kimberley described a more balanced relationship with food, without banning particular things from her diet.
She explained that cutting foods out had left her focused on when she could eat them again.
Now, she looks at how her eating balances out across the week, rather than refusing things she enjoys.
She also works out a few times a week to help maintain her weight.
Her preference is weights, which she values for the mental challenge as well as the physical effort. Being able to see her strength, she explained, helps build her belief in herself.
She also encouraged recognising the features you like about yourself. In her view, that can make getting dressed easier.
Read more: Kimberley Walsh in ‘really rubbish’ relationship confession with husband Justin
So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.