Ayesha Perry-Iqbal told she was ‘too fat’ to play a lead acting role
Naked Beach presenter reveals she was turned down for drama school because of her ‘big legs’ – while an agent said she was ‘too fat’ for a leading role
- Channel 4’s Naked Beach host Ayesha Perry-Iqbal spoke weight discrimination
- The Welsh body positive model, 28, revealed she had been told she was ‘too big’
- Recalled how agent said she was too fat to land lead role and she became unwell
Channel 4’s Naked Beach host Ayesha Perry-Iqbal has revealed her battle with weight discrimination at the beginning of her career in the entertainment industry.
Ayesha, 28, from Wales, has spoken about how she was told that she would never make it in the entertainment industry because ‘her legs were too big’.
The body positive model, who boasts 265,000 followers on Instagram, recalled how her agent told her that she was ‘too pretty to play the fat best friend’ but also ‘too fat to play the lead’.
The presenter appears naked covered in body paint on the new show which encourages people to embrace their insecurities.
Channel 4’s Naked Beach host Ayesha Perry-Iqbal has revealed her battle with weight discrimination at the beginning of her career in the entertainment industry
Speaking to Glamour, Ayesha remembered how she felt unrepresented and in the minority because of her skin tone and body shape, growing up in Wales.
She said: ‘I auditioned for drama school when I was 16 and I was told I would never make it in the entertainment industry because my legs were too big. Then when I tried to get a talent manager they told me “you are too pretty to play the fat best friend, but you are too fat to play the lead”.’
Ayesha has since landed a role playing Monica in the 2016 horror movie named ‘Ryde’, as well as being signed by mainstream model agencies.
An active advocate for body confidence, she has won a legion of fans on social media – which comes with its good and bad points.
Ayesha, 28, from Wales, has spoken about how she was told that she would never make it in the entertainment industry because ‘her legs were too big’
‘I deal with a lot of trolling on my social media, particularly from men telling me I should ‘get a boob job’ or ‘lose weight, you’d be more attractive’, she said.
‘I don’t actually give it any of my energy because firstly, everyone is entitled to their opinion and secondly, just because they have an opinion doesn’t mean I have to listen to it or take it on.’
Last month Channel 4 launched new reality television show Naked Beach, which sees British people with body insecurities jetted to sunny Greece where they spend time with naked people only covered with paint.
The body positive model, who boasts 265,000 followers on Instagram, recalled how her agent told her that she was ‘too pretty to play the fat best friend’ but also ‘too fat to play the lead’
The contestants only have four days before they are asked to strip naked on the beach in front of the cameras.
Psychologist Dr Keon West, of Goldsmiths University in London, claimed spending time with naked people of all shapes and sizes can boost your body confidence.
Naked Body’s Natasha Devon, who is a mental health campaigner, revealed Britain has the lowest body confidence in the world.
The show reaches our screens after Love Island producers are reportedly set to cast contestants with ‘different body shapes’ in a bid to create more diversity.
The hit ITV2 dating show was said to be making the changes in the selection process to reflect what ‘viewers want’ in a bid to make the show more successful.
Naked Beach airs on Channel 4 on Thursdays at 8pm
The presenter appears naked covered in body paint on Channel 4’s new show which encourages people to embrace their insecurities
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