Jamie Laing has opened up for the first time about his battle with bulimia, revealing that the moment his wife Sophie caught him being sick was the turning point in his recovery. The Made In Chelsea star spoke about his decades-long struggle on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, inspired by Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's documentary on his own eating disorder.
Laing, 36, said his issues began at age 18 after a knee injury ended his hopes of becoming a professional rugby player. He described feeling shame after seeing a photo of himself on holiday, which led to dieting and a growing obsession with his weight. Joining Made In Chelsea exacerbated the problem, as he felt a lack of control over his life and was conscious of social media comments about his appearance.
The reality star recalled the moment Sophie discovered his secret: 'Sophie caught me once and this secret that I had, was suddenly not a secret anymore. She said to me, 'What are you doing?' I said I was doing nothing, and she said: 'Yes you were. I heard you being sick.'' He said her supportive response was a 'big wake-up call' that made him realise he was injuring himself.
Comedian Jack Whitehall also praised Flintoff for speaking out, revealing he himself had bulimia early in his television career. 'It's not something that I've ever really spoken about. But I remember that pressure of being on television. And it's not something that I've seen other men or people in the media talk about, until Fred came out and spoke about it,' Whitehall said.
If you are worried about your own or someone else's health, contact Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or visit beateatingdisorders.org.uk.
