Dani Harmer would've quit social media if it wasn't "so important" for "getting the message out there" about her show.
Dani Harmer as Tracy Beaker
The 32-year-old actress recently reprised her titular role in 'My Mum Tracy Beaker', and while she believes social media is "kind of the reason why it’s got such big viewing ratings" - after the programme became CBBC’s most successful show launch ever - she has hit out at "stupid trolls" for commenting on her weight.
She said: "I think it's social media and kind of getting the word out there.
"I personally wouldn't have social media if it wasn't so important now for kind of getting the message out there."
Dani - who initially played the character in 'The Story of Tracy Beaker', which began in 2002 - felt the need to speak about her weight publicly before she reprised her role and trolls commented on her appearance.
She said: "I was just mentioning it because now, obviously, we’ve been in lockdown, I haven't been afraid of the chocolate biscuits.
"I didn't think in a million years we were going to film this series during the pandemic. So, I was just like eating away.
"And then they were like, ‘No, no, you, you are.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, great! I’m in perfect shape! Let’s do this!'
"I kind of wanted to get in there before all of these stupid trolls came after me going like, ‘Oh, well, you’re fat now!’
"I'm like, ‘Oh, yeah alright. OK, sure! What else you got?’ You know, and I'm a size 10 and no way in a million years is that big for goodness sake. But I'm just kind of expecting it.
"I just worry about all the kids out there.
"I'm 32. I can take it. I have very thick skin. I've been on telly for like a million years now I'm used to it.
"But kind of my little Emma, who plays my daughter in Tracy Beaker, I just kind of wanted to warn her about it.
"I was like, 'You know what? Just stay off Twitter. It's not worth it!' It’s really not worth it.
"Just because we have this weird job, it doesn't mean that, you know, we don't have feelings, we have emotions. And words hurt, they really, really hurt."
The former 'After You've Gone' star suffered online abuse from trolls over her weight in 2012 when she competed in 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Speaking to Bobby Norris and Stephen Leng on FUBAR Radio's 'Access All Areas', she added: "I was a size six when I was on 'Strictly'.
"I don't think you could get that much smaller, but obviously I’m 5ft.
"So obviously my size six isn't going to look like a bloomin' 5ft 10in model, do you know what I mean? It's very different. I'm squashed, I'm little and it doesn't look the same, right?"
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