X Factor's Kate Thornton claims she was told to lose weight by show despite anorexia battle

Former The X Factor host Kate Thornton, who hosted the show between 2004 and 2006, opened up about her experience on the show

X Factor's Kate Thornton says she was told to lose weight by show despite being recovering anorexic

The X Factor star Kate Thornton revealed she was once told by the show's bosses to lose weight despite them knowing she was a recovering alcoholic.

She hosted the show between 2004 and 2006 before moving on to present the likes of Celebrity Wrestling, Greatest Britons and Loose Women. During her stint on the show, she said a television executive asked the star to lose weight and even offered to pay for her to go to a weight loss retreat.

At that point, she was a size eight. She went on to claim the executive - who she did not name - also proposed she should 'bleach' her freckles as they were 'quite annoying. Presenter and broadcaster Kate, 51, refused the person's request due to being a 'recovering anorexic'.

Speaking to Emily Dean on the Walking the Dog podcast, she said: "I was a size eight at the time. "They offered me an all-expenses paid [trip] to a retreat where I could go and lose weight - and possibly get my freckles bleached because they were, 'Quite annoying on camera'."

She hosted the show between 2004 and 2006 (

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PA) She said an executive on the show told her to lose weight (

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Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I)

The star, who said she is 'proud of the way she represented herself' in the situation, told the executive to 'go and f*** themselves' and rejected his suggestion. She continued: "I'm a recovered anorexic. You wouldn't tell an alcoholic to go and have a drink so they're more fun with a pint inside them. It's the same and it's wrong."

Kate added: "When I say I'm proud of the way I represented myself, that's why I'm proud of myself It alienated me and it made me an easy target but it also made me, with my shoulders back, someone I could look in the eye and be proud of and that was more important."

Kate was sacked and replaced in the fourth series by Dermot O'Leary. Despite her negative experience on the show, Kate enjoyed many aspects of the competition. She said: "I enjoyed the on-air, I enjoyed the contestants, I enjoyed working with so much of the wider team that I'm still in touch with now. There were lots of good things that came from it."

In 2020, she spoke about getting sacked from the show during an appearance on the In The Pink podcast. The star explained: "They didn't renew my contract having said that they would - and by they, I mean Simon. It was on the News at Ten. It was embarrassing, it was humiliating, and it kind of burnt for a bit.

"It hurt more than someone I had considered a friend hadn't been upfront with me." The Mirror have approached ITV for comment.

For help and support on eating disorders contact Beat Eating Disorders on 0808 801 0677.

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