“Miriam, don’t ever change!”

This letter sent to the Star was written by CM Langan, Sheffield, S8
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Miriam Margolyes has just presented another excellent TV production, this one being entitled Miriam’s Big Fat Adventure where she travelled the length and breadth of the UK in an attempt to learn what approaches were being taken towards combating, or learning to live with, obesity, and the psychology behind both obesity itself and society’s attitude towards it.

Among the places she attended were a boot camp with a tough-love approach, a dance class for larger ladies who flew the flag for self-acceptance, body positivity and celebrating their curves, and a course right here in Sheffield focusing on educating children on healthy eating and exercise. She also met a young girl who’d undergone bariatric surgery with successful results, a lady who’d undergone a leg amputation caused by sepsis that set in after an operation for a weight-related condition, a bodybuilder who’d formerly been obese, and a lovely 10-year-old, Claudia, who was a member of Sheffield’s healthy living course and who bashfully confessed to stealing chocolate from the kitchen cupboard, which is basically a prevailing symptom of being a human being! If it were to be classed as a crime, people like my mother would be serving a life sentence now!

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Let’s face it, there is considerable negativity towards people classed as overweight. Miriam herself has lived with it for most of her life, the contempt, the ridiculing, the fat-shaming, the degradation. This situation has spawned many eating disorders, body dysmorphia, depression, demoralisation and shame. Cosmetic surgeons and such-like have made a fortune out of it. It is outrageous that people are defined by their body weight and that the obese are perceived as being gluttonous, self-indulgent and of inferior stock.

Miriam MargolyesMiriam Margolyes
Miriam Margolyes

True, it’s not good to be overweight or underweight. Healthy eating and exercise should always be encouraged, but no one should be fat-shamed or skinny-shamed!

As for Miriam, what a class act! Forget Judith Chalmers or the top TV presenters, no one can engage your attention in a Travelodge or in a documentary as she can. She’s gloriously blunt and honest, has absolutely no filter or off-switch. If there ever was one then some would say that she should get the repairmen round asap!

Her language ain’t good either! Like I said about the Osbournes, medics should look out for swearing as one of her vital signs, along with temperature, pulse and respiration.

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She’s been well-renowned for the trumping too, with each bout being preceded by a theatrically-toned announcement that another emission was imminent. She’s literally sat on people on public transport who’ve not given up their seat for her. If you were to travel the world in order to find the most refined and ladylike lady in existence to bring back with you, then you won’t be returning with her in the passenger seat.

However, with her first-class line in self-deprecating wit, her intelligence, astute mind, vivacity, spirit and her ability to hit the nail on the head, she truly makes the heart sing.

No, she shouldn’t swear in front of kids, ask people about their sex lives, and hey, she could have brought Claudia’s door down when rapping on it with that walking stick, but what a rapport she built up with Claudia and her pals, and, hey, watta woman!

Miriam, don’t ever change!

CM Langan

Sheffield, S8

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