Jordan Banjo "felt like a fraud" in Diversity due to his weight.
Jordan Banjo
The 28-year-old dancer struggled with the pressure of his appearance as he was often compared to other members of the dance troupe, which includes his brother Ashley Banjo and pal Perry Kiely.
Speaking on 'Loose Men' on Thursday (13.05.21), he says: "I’ve always been quite a big dude. Compare me to the other boys, all they’ve got to do is sneeze and they get an ab. I looked at a slice of cake and it was like I gained a stone.
"At first it was difficult, you’re part of the biggest dance group in the country, you’re young and, to be blunt, I felt like a bit of a fraud."
Jordan will be joined by Martin Kemp, Richard Madeley, and Robert Rinder for the male version of 'Loose Women', and the panel will discuss mental health and male body image.
Martin, 59, also felt the pressure with his appearance after he joined the band Spandau Ballet when he was just 17 years old.
He explains: "When I was 17 I was in the band, so I was always aware of how I looked. But I think nowadays we are so much more health conscious and body aware than we ever have been."
Similarly, 'Judge Rinder' star Robert struggled with trolls commenting on his body shape during his stint on 'Strictly Come Dancing' in 2016.
He adds: "There’s something we need to talk about as well which is resilience and giving people who comment on your body image your absolute aggressively undivided indifference. Bullying is always about the bully and I think we need to talk about that."
What's more, Richard shared his experience with body confidence issues after he received backlash for changing up his appearance despite being 64 years old.
He says: "Even old men like me come under a lot of pressure to explain how we look."
Tagged in Martin Kemp Richard Madeley