I'm a Celebrity star James McVey has spoken out about his battle with anorexia, and how his fiancée Kirstie Brittain helped him through the hard times. Speaking at the TRIC Awards on Tuesday, James told Daily Mail: "Kirstie helped me from day one. She's helped me more than I know." He added that he had made the decision to speak out about his illness to help others, and revealed: "I've had an amazing response. Lots of guys reached out to me. Anorexia affects a lot of men. It was scary to get it out there. It was a problem that affected me four or five years ago but speaking about it made me realise there's still a long way to go for me. It's weird, every day is like a different thing, but that's why speaking about it is going to help."
James McVey has opened up about his anorexia battle
James had first spoken out about his eating disorder just before he entered the jungle late in 2018. Speaking to The Mirror, the 25-year-old said that fans would share their concerns for his health after he became underweight, but he never realised just how thin he was. James said: "I was ill and I looked ill. I'm happy that now I've come full circle and see food as a positive. I don't want to belittle other people who have anorexia, but I think I definitely had a negative relationship with food in those early days. I was obsessed with food." The musician said that his quest for the perfect body was an “unachievable goal” and that it quickly “developed into something negative". However, he now follows a healthy vegetarian diet and exercise routine rather than restricting his food, and is much happier as a result. "For me dieting is not the answer or the word choice. It's selective food choices and a healthier lifestyle... That's what I have adapted to," he said.
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James has praised his girlfriend Kirstie for helping him through his battle
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James has got a lot to look forward to in the future, having popped the question to Kirstie at the beginning of the year. The couple announced the happy news in an exclusive interview and photoshoot with HELLO!, where James revealed that he had entrusted the help of king of the jungle, Harry Redknapp, when it came to finding the perfect engagement ring. Harry had suggested that they visit a jeweller together, but James already found the ring before he arrived. "By the time Harry arrived I had already chosen the ring", he told HELLO!. "As soon as I saw it I knew it was the one. And Harry loved it too."
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