Jamie Laing Opens Up About His Hidden Battle with Bulimia and How Wife Sophie Habboo Helped Him Face It

Table of Contents

• Jamie Laing's Bulimia Battle
• Wife's Confrontation
• Understanding Bulimia
• Importance of Discussion

JAMIE Laing has disclosed his hidden struggle with bulimia for the first time, sharing how his wife, Sophie Habboo, played a crucial role in his recovery by confronting him.

The 36-year-old was caught making himself sick by his wife, Sophie, but had previously kept this a secret due to feelings of "shame."

Jamie Laing has revealed his secret bulimia battleCredit: Instagram/ @jamielaing Seeing a picture of him topless on the beach had been a turning pointCredit: Instagram Jamie opens up in his new book Boys Don’t CryCredit: Instagram/ @jamielaing

In his new book, Boys Don’t Cry, Jamie has discussed this issue for the first time and also opened up about it on her Happy Place podcast.

He explained: “My story is that I played a lot of sports, always quite lean. I used to eat a lot because I was trying to gain weight for rugby.

“When I suffered a knee injury and was removed from sports, I must have entered a state of anxiety without realizing it, and I found comfort in eating.”

The Made In Chelsea star courageously continued: “I was taking photos and my mum would comment, ‘You look a bit stocky. You’re eating a lot and you look a bit stocky.’ Although it came from a place of love, I brushed it off.”

“Then, I remember developing some photos and saw one of me topless on the beach. I appeared stocky, not lean, and definitely not as toned as I usually did. Instantly, I felt a wave of shame.”

He stated: “That day, something clicked in my mind. I must have been 18 or 19, and I started to diet. I became conscious of what I was eating; Coca-Cola turned into Diet Coke, hummus became reduced fat, and rice cakes replaced crisps.”

“As I began to lose weight, I became increasingly aware of it, which had never been the case before.”

Jamie joined Made In Chelsea in 2011, and it was during this time that he began to struggle more with his eating habits.

“When I joined Made In Chelsea, everything was edited for me. I had no control over my life, and I became conscious of my appearance because of social media comments. I felt compelled to control something, which led to my eating habits,” Jamie explained.

He added: “I’ve spoken to others who have faced eating disorders, and it’s difficult for me to admit, but I definitely had an eating disorder. I’ve never voiced that until now.”

“There were times in my 20s when I wouldn’t keep my food down; it was a complete control issue. It was a secret I held.”

His wife, Sophie, was the one who Jamie credits for giving him the “wake-up call” he desperately needed.

He recounted: “Sophie caught me once, and this secret I held was suddenly out in the open. I realized what was happening.”