Beckhams Fat Shaming Principal Wins Olivier Award

may have mixed feelings watching this year's where her former stage school principal Betty Laine will receive the Industry Recognition prize at April's ceremony.

The former Spice Girl, 51, claimed in her memoir that the teacher 'fat shamed' her during her studies at the Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, Surrey, which she attended from the age of 17 until 20.

In her recent documentary Victoria revealed she had suffered an eating disorder which started when she was at theatre school as she controlled her weight in what she described as an 'incredibly unhealthy way.'

In her 2001 book Learning To Fly, she recalled Betty telling here on day during rehearsals: ‘You’re so fat I am going to have to fly you in. I’m going to have to get you in on a crane because you’re such a roly poly.’

Victoria's body confidence agony began when she was just a teenager and won a place at the school, which her parents funded by remortgaging their house, but was dishonest about even to her beloved parents Tony and Jackie. 

Speaking in her documentary she said: 'When you have an eating disorder you become very good at lying. And I was never honest about it with my parents. 

'I never spoke about it publicly, it really affects you. When you're told constantly you're not good enough. And I suppose that's been with me my whole life.'

Despite her hard work she wasn't the best dancer, or indeed singer. But she also told how she looked different to her classmates.

'I didn't look like a lot of the other girls,' she says. 'That's where I started getting a lot of criticism about my appearance, my weight'.

'I remember the principal of the theatre school saying to me, you know, at the end of the show we are going to just fly in. 'You girls can be flown in' meaning that we weren't looking as aesthetically pleasing as some of the others, 'so we'll just fly you in the back.'

Victoria's mother Jackie added that the star was told 'you're overweight. You'll be at the back", It must have affected her, it's a very silly thing to say to someone, 'you're fat.'

The Olivier's Industry Recognition awards are presented by the Society of London Theatre to individuals who have made significant contributions to the theatre industry.

Announcing the news on their official Instagram account the school said: 'Laine Theatre Arts is immensely proud to congratulate our Founder and Principal Emeritam Betty Laine OBE, on receiving the prestigious Industry Recognition Award at the Olivier Awards'. 

'This honour is a fitting tribute to Betty Laine’s extraordinary contribution to the performing arts and to professional training over more than five decades'.