She lost a whopping 12st after having a gastric band fitted in 2010 and then had 11lbs of excess skin removed to transform her new body – but last week Tina Malone found herself in the middle of a cruel online backlash after an appearance on This Morning.
Tina joined Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on the ITV show to discuss the child obesity epidemic sweeping the UK, but despite the heated debate, the viewers’ attention seemed to be firmly fixed on her new look.
One critic Tweeted: “What a hot mess, she looks awful” while another added: “What has happened to Tina Malone? She looks like a skeleton.”
But size 8 Tina has hit back and tells Closer nothing the trolls can say will bring her down.
She adds: “You know what? Bring it on. I think I look bloody fantastic. I’m 53 and I’m embracing it – I’m not Cheryl or Vicky Pattison, but I think I look great and I’m a healthy weight.
“I’m damned if I’m healthy, I’m damned if I’m not. You can’t please everyone so I’ve just learnt not to care! I actually find it hysterical they spend so much time sitting behind their computers trolling me. I laugh at them.”
Read the full story in the new issue of Closer.