Originally published 5 February 2013;
Tipping the scales at a huge 26st, Tabby Kemp should be worried about her weight – but she’s not. In fact, the 25 year old claims her super-sized curves are helping her make her fortune.
Four months ago, Tabby, who has a 7ft-wide stomach, began modelling and selling half-naked pictures of herself to online “fat admirers.” She boasts she’s made £5,000 so far – and wants to gain more weight to earn even more.
Despite obesity-related health problems costing the NHS a staggering £5.1billion a year, Tabby says she won’t diet.
“I’m happy and healthy now, so I’ll keep gaining weight while it pays”
Shockingly, she eats 5,000 calories a day and has gained 10st since she began modelling last October. And she says that if her health starts to suffer, there’s nothing wrong with the NHS funding her care and medication.
“I’m happy and healthy now, so I’ll keep gaining weight while it pays,” says 5ft 6 Tabby, who has a dangerous BMI of 60 – the healthy range is 18.5-25 – but claims she currently has no health problems.
“I know that as I get bigger my health might suffer but, if I get ill, the NHS will help me – it’s my right as a British citizen. It’s a great system – you put money in and you get treatment when you need it. I’ve paid tax since I was 18 – and, as a model, I’ll earn more the bigger I get, so I’ll be paying even more tax. Most people cost the NHS something – people who take drugs, smoke or drink too much. Society picks on fat people – if you’re an addict you get sympathy but, if you’re fat, you’re branded a ‘lazy slob.’”
Size 28 Tabby says she’s simply exploiting the men who find super-sized women attractive. And she remains defiant, despite warnings from Closer’s Dr Christian that her weight could cause an early death.
He says: “Tabby could die before she reaches 30. She has an increased chance of developing osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancers, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. She’s also at risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Thinking modern medicine will fix everything is naive.
"I know that as I get bigger my health might suffer but, if I get ill, the NHS will help me – it’s my right as a British citizen"
“Obesity is costing the NHS ever-increasing sums. To purposefully gain weight for your own means is very selfish.”
But Tabby insists: “If I want to be big, I will be. I think I look great and I love food – why should I give up something I love? Dieting makes you miserable and if I can make money out of my size, I will. Nobody knows what will happen in the future – not even a doctor. I could get hit by a bus tomorrow. There’s ample money in the NHS to go round.”
Tabby, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, ballooned aged eight, after her parents, who are healthy weights, divorced. She fell into the habit of scoffing pizza and chips at school and snacking on sweets and crisps and, by the age of 12, she weighed 12st.
“I binged in secret because food was comforting,” says Tabby, who has four slim siblings. “Mum made me see a dietician – I tried dieting for two weeks, but I couldn’t keep it up. I was popular at school and didn’t get bullied.”
When she left school at 17, Tabby was 17st and worked as a nanny. She insists her weight didn’t cause problems, and says she later retrained as an administrator to earn a better wage.
When she got married in 2008, she’d reached 23st. But Tabby, who split from her husband last year after they drifted apart, insists: “I’ve never had problems getting male attention or had negative comments about my size. I’ve always been confident.”
It was when Tabby was searching for dating sites online last August that she discovered a website where obese women pose in sexy snaps for men who like larger ladies.
She says: “The women boasted about making £1,000 for sets of 10 photos. It seemed like a good opportunity to make some extra cash so, two months later, I took pictures of myself in the mirror in lingerie, then posted them on the site.”
The following day, Tabby had 50 messages from “admirers.” She says: “They wanted to buy my photos – and some asked me to pose in a thong! I started selling sets of 10-15 photos for £40.”
She was then contacted by photographers via the website, who offered her £200 to pose for sexy photo shoots.
“I didn’t see any harm as long as I took a friend along,” she says. “The first time, I went to a hotel and posed in lingerie and heels. I felt nervous but the photographer put me at ease and it was a laugh.”
Now Tabby – who buys her size 28 lingerie from American websites – has 5,000 online fans. She sells sets of photos for up to £350 and has so far made £5,000, which she’s saving to put towards buying a house.
"Tabby has 5,000 online fans and sells sets of photos for up to £350 and has so far made £5,000"
Incredibly, Tabby, who still works as an administrator, has researched how to make even more money out of her size.
She says: “The bigger you are, the more you make. When I reach 30st and a size 36, I’ll be able to charge at least £700 for five photos. I’ve spoken to other large women and they make a fortune.”
Now Tabby’s on a mission to reach 30st by the end of the year.
“Breakfast is toast with butter and jam, a big bowl of sugary cornflakes, half a pack of biscuits and two cherry Bakewells,” reveals Tabby, who spends £120 a week on food, but insists she also goes swimming twice a week because she enjoys it.
“For lunch, I’ll have a large BLT sandwich, crisps, a Snickers bar, a can of Coke, sweets and biscuits. Dinner is two bowls of pasta with cheese sauce and garlic bread. For dessert, I eat two servings of Eton mess and, later, two bowls of ice cream. Sometimes, it makes me feel sick and I find it hard to eat as much as I do, but I’m focused – I want to make more money.
“My friends support me and my mum’s happy that I’m happy.”
And Tabby isn’t worried about ill-health. She admits: “Two months ago, I saw a doctor on a routine visit who told me I had a greater risk of developing diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. But I haven’t had any problems.”
However, she’s glad she’s got the NHS to fall back on, saying: “It’s good to know it’s there if my weight does cause problems. The NHS is there to care for ill people – it doesn’t matter how you get ill.”
Tabby says she’d like to meet a man and have kids one day and isn’t worried about her weight affecting her fertility, saying: “If it does, I can have IVF or adopt.”
She adds: “I’ll model for at least another five years. Even if I stop, I’ll probably stay this size because I’m happy.”