Former X Factor judge and N Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos returned to our screens this morning as she made a special appearance on the hit ITV1 show, Loose Women. Speaking to panellists Andrea McLean, Jane Moore, Linda Robson and Denise Welch on Monday, Tulisa opened up about her health struggles, revealing that she has been secretly living with Bell's Palsy - a medical condition which can cause sudden, temporary weakness in the facial muscles.
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Tulisa appeared on Loose Women on Monday
"The first attack I had was after a serious horse riding accident," Tulisa admitted, "I fractured my skull here and caused a lot of nerve damage." Recalling the moment an online troll had described her face as looking like she'd suffered a stroke, the 31-year-old revealed that she had previously hidden away in her house to avoid further abuse. "I have Bell's palsy which causes my face to drop on occasions," Tulisa said, "I have been targeted by trolls online about it and I think it should be easier on social media to put a cap on abuse." Adding that years of online trolling had given her "the experience to get a tough skin," Tulisa nonetheless expressed her concern for those "people out there who don't have the experience."
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Tulisa was open and honest with the Loose Women panellists
"Everything used to be so personal. You used to pick up the phone or write a letter and now we can send messages, good or bad, to someone that we've never met on the other side of the world," she said. Explaining that she no longer engages with trolls, Tulisa continued: "We don't know who that other person is on the other side of the screen. Sometimes hurt people can go on to hurt other people."
Taking part in the show's candid discussion about the dangers of social media, Tulisa's interview has since garnered widespread praise from fans across Twitter. "Wow, Tulisa is looking absolutely stunning. So good to see her back on our screens," one said. "Well done for speaking up about this and being concerned for young people," another tweeted.
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Social media is a brilliant way to connect people and create communities, but it also has a dark side. Join HELLO!'s #HelloToKindness movement to promote positivity on social media. A kind ethos underpins everything we do at HELLO! and we urge our community to think twice before you post. Find out more about the #HelloToKindness movement.