Despite looking absolutely beautiful in the unedited photoshoot she took part in with her Loose Women colleagues, Nadia Sawalha has admitted she felt "really frightened" to pose in her bikini. Appearing on Wednesday's Lorraine, the 52-year-old joined Andrea McLean to discuss the ITV show's new body confidence campaign, #MyBodyMyStory, which saw nine of the panellists pose for swimwear photos without any airbrushing.
© Photo: ITVLoose Women star Nadia Sawalha talked about body confidence
"I was really, really frightened about it," confessed Nadia. "I've got so many body issues which I've talked a lot about in the past. The reason I wanted to do it was I find that I need to practise what I preach to my daughters. My 14-year-old is being so influenced by social media and this perfection, I'm always saying to her, 'Be smart, be brave, be funny' because everything else is what you've been given. I don't really practise it [but] when I go on the beach now I won't hide myself."
STORY: Loose Women panellists pose in swimwear for body confidence campaign
She continued: "At lunchtime, we escaped and went to the pub and had a couple of swift ones to get through the afternoon. The only instruction photographer Bryan Adams gave us was 'no posing whatsoever.'" When discussing the shoot, Nadia added: "There was no lighting, just harsh daylight in front of a rock god!"
The Loose Women panellists bared their bodies for the campaign
STORY: Saira Khan defends stripping down to bikini for Loose Women photoshoot
The photos, which were taken by singer Bryan Adams, are airbrushed and filter-free, and the campaign aims to encourage women to love their bodies and accept their flaws, whatever their age or size. Andrea explained: "[Loose Women is] all about being open and honest. They [our bodies] tell a story – this is what it’s about. When you step back and think this [my body] is an incredibly powerful machine, it’s produced children, it goes to work every day, it smiles and provides for a family… stop worrying about a few lines and lumps and bumps and bits that go in and out where they shouldn't."
