James Lock has revealed he suffers with body dysmorphia – causing him to ‘constantly battle, compete and compare himself to others’.
The TOWIE star, 37, who has appeared on the ITVBe show since 2013, appeared on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain to discuss his condition with hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls and Conservative MP and GP, Dr Luke Evans.
He confessed that critiques on social media led to him undergoing a number of surgical procedures – including a nose job, otoplasty (pinning back one’s ears) and hair transplant – as well as the use of steroids.
While he conceded that he knows he is ‘a good looking guy’ and is ‘a confident guy’ to a certain degree, James admitted will ‘always find fault’ in himself.
He told the trio: ‘I can sit here now and I know I am a good looking guy and I’m in good shape but I will still find fault… It’s a constant battle with yourself and even though you’re looking in the mirror, you’re not seeing what other people are seeing.’
James Lock has revealed he suffers with body dysmorphia – causing him to ‘constantly battle, compete and compare himself to others’
He confessed that critiques on social media led to him undergoing a number of surgical procedures – including a nose job, otoplasty (pinning back one’s ears) and hair transplant – as well as the use of steroids
James spoke about the fact that one moment he can be ‘rational’ about his hang-ups but then the next he can be at work doing a photoshoot and spend the whole day criticising himself in what he looks like.
He said: ‘I can sit here and be rational about it but a couple of days ago I’m doing a shoot and what should take half an hour takes a full day because I’m finding fault in everything and I’m comparing myself to my competition.
‘Remember, the shows that I’ve been on, we might be all be friends, but we’re all in competition.’
Detailing his surgical procedures, he said: ‘I’ve had my eyes done, my nose done, you’re getting carried away. Something that would have taken a couple of hours, a couple of pictures, now takes a full day…
‘Sometimes I’m being irrational. I’m a good looking guy, I’m in good shape, but I will still find fault – whether I’m on set or even if I’m going away on holiday or doing a shoot for a brand, I will find fault.
‘I started off with a hair transplant, I’ve had my ears done, my teeth done – that’s a standard thing for everyone at the minute.
‘Recently I did another TV show and injured myself a little bit. The injuries were bad, but they weren’t as bad as what I created in my head. So I’ve had my eyes done, my nose done. You’re getting carried away.’
James spoke about the fact that one moment he can be ‘rational’ about his hang-ups but then the next he can be at work doing a photoshoot and spend the whole day criticising himself in what he looks like
Also in the studio, James was joined by Conservative MP and GP, Dr Luke Evans who described social media as having a contributing effect on the way that people view themselves.
He said: ‘[It’s important] James coming out and talking about it because that’s part of the problem. People come out and say, ‘He’s a good looking guy, what has he got to worry about?’ and actually that’s almost the problem in itself because everyone is chasing this aspiration to look a certain way and we can’t achieve it.
He added: ‘We know that one in three children have shame about their bodies and one in five adults have shame about their bodies and at the extreme side, people look to surgery or eating disorders or steroids to sort this out…
‘That’s what I am most worried about.’
