JOEY Turner has insisted “size zero is sexy” as he responds to concern about his weight.
The former Towie star – who recently denied he is suffering from an eating disorder in an exclusive interview – posted the statement on Instagram last night.
The university student followed his post with an arty snap highlighting his face and his newly bleached hair.
It comes after he told The Celeb Report: “I can’t help that I am skinny. I am not going to apologise to anyone.”
Joey, 20, sparked worry as he appeared slimmer than usual in recent Instagram posts, but he tells us he’s always been “tall and skinny” and plans to stay that way.
Addressing his weight, he explains: “The thing is I have always had a long thin frame, I am 5ft 11ins so I am quite tall and I have always had a long frame.
“Maybe I have lost weight, but not because I am starving myself.
“I weigh seven and half stone, but I don’t weigh myself. I don’t care about how much I weigh. I am skinny, I can’t help that I am skinny. I am not going to apologise to anyone.”
Joey, 20, sparked worry as he appeared slimmer than usual in recent Instagram posts, but he tells us he’s always been “tall and skinny” and plans to stay that way.
Addressing his weight, he explains: “The thing is I have always had a long thin frame, I am 5ft 11ins so I am quite tall and I have always had a long frame.
“Maybe I have lost weight, but not because I am starving myself.
“I weigh seven and half stone, but I don’t weigh myself. I don’t care about how much I weigh. I am skinny, I can’t help that I am skinny. I am not going to apologise to anyone.”
Joey believes he has a healthy diet and on an average day he eats a bowl of Special K, a salad for lunch and sushi for dinner. When he goes out he enjoys vodka with water.
He admits: “I don’t eat loads. I am not really a foodie, that’s not me being anorexic, I just don’t care to participate in gluttony.”
Supportive family
He tells us that his friends and family are aware of his eating habits and although his mum does tell him he’s skinny, she’s not worried about him, saying: “She knows me, she knows my medical history, she knows my metabolism and she knows my mindset.”
The fashion lover quit Towie in May of this year and is now studying fashion design at university in London.
Fans think he’s appearance has changed dramatically since being on the slow, but Joey says it’s only natural over time and believes that a lot of the comments are “disguising hatred with a helping hand.”
He explains: “When I was on Towie, I started when I was 17. I hadn’t even finished puberty at that point.
“Everyone comes into themselves, I was still young. Nobody looks the same from 17- 20. I am at a pivotal point in my life where I am going to change. If I started the show when I was 23 and I’m now 27, then that is a bit different.”
Joey also questions the double standards in society, saying: “We live in a generation where everyone is preaching about body positivity, but does that only apply to bigger people?”
Life after Towie
He also says he’s now more free to post what he wants – without having to worry about the reputation of the show.
The star is aware of how his posts might come across, but argues: “I do understand their point of view, but I am not on TV anymore. I don’t have the responsibility to anyone. I am a 20 year old student, I just want to live my life and post the things I want to post without having people telling me about myself.”
Joey has no intention to censor his posts and vows to continue embracing his body.
He says: “To put it bluntly – I can’t help being skinny. I am happy, healthy and have supportive people around me.”
