jO DAVISON: Hefty burden on shoulders of overweight star
Remember Michelle McManus? The big lass with the enormous voice who won Pop Idol six years ago?
You may not; she sank without a trace.
And many believe the reason she didn't make it big was because she was too big. Even when she lost weight, she just didn't fit into the skinny little straitjacket pop pundits seemed to expect any one with pop star potential to be able to squeeze into.
The times, they are a changin', though.
As the nation grows ever lardier, we're starting to becoming more accepting of fat celebrities.
Look at Beth Ditto. She's most definitely a big girl, but the fact that she has a fabulous voice and has such a strong look is now far more important.
Isn't the fact that we're starting to look past someone's size to see their talent and individuality a good thing? You would think so.
But no... An obesity expert says Beth and a growing number of other heavyweight celebrities are setting a bad example.
That if society starts to see fat people as normal, the obese will just become more obese because they think they're not. and then more of them will die early.
That's a pretty hefty burden to lay on Beth's shoulders.
What do you think? Add your comment below.
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