Brisbane radio stars Robin Bailey and Kip Wightman open up about body image struggles

Robin Bailey was brought to tears on air as she and KIIS 97.3FM co-host Kip Wightman shared their lifelong struggles with body shame.

Brisbane radio presenter Robin Bailey has opened up about her lifelong struggle with eating disorders in an emotional conversation about body image.

Speaking on KIIS 97.3’s breakfast show on Monday, Bailey responded to co-host Kip Wightman’s admission on Friday that he hated his body – a conversation that was inspired by Taryn Brumfitt winning Australian of the year for her Body Confidence movement.

Bailey, who has been open about her experience with eating disorders in the past, had suggested supporting Wightman by organising to strip off in the spirit of body acceptance.

“(On) the weekend I struggled so much to eat because I thought I might have to take my clothes off today,” Bailey said, as Wightman admitted he hardly saw her eat during their time together.

KIIS 97.3FM Robin Bailey, Terry Hansen and Kip Wightman

“It’s a lifelong challenge, it’s about control, it’s about my life has been so out of control that it’s the one thing I could feel like I knew what I was doing but it’s terrible and people die,” she continued.

“And socially the amount of hate I get; I never talk about my body online because I’m thin. And people think they want to be thin, right, but when you starve yourself to death that’s not cute.

Bailey, who is a mother of three sons, said her girlfriends often staged interventions in the past when they noticed warning signs.

“They say I’ve got my bubble head which means you’re so thin in your body, your head sticks out,” she explained.

“I don’t want to be like this, and I don’t want other people to be like this.”

“We have a platform so I want to sit in my own shit, and be OK with it. Because how can anyone be OK with it if we’re not willing to try.”

It came after Wightman on Friday shared his experience with body shame in a raw and vulnerable conversation in which he confessed to hating his body.

Kiss FM's Kip, Robin and Terry attend Sony Foundation’s 3rd annual Brissy4Ward fundraiser at the Rivershed, Howard Smith Wharves on Thursday 4 August 2022. Picture: Jerad Williams

“I hate it, I always have, like since I was 13. I felt fat, well I was fat, I was overweight and I had a tummy, I never had abs, ever. I always felt like I was a fat kid, and then I was a fat adult,” he said.

“I hide it behind clothes, and I hide my feelings about it behind bravado and whatever else.

Wightman felt the issue often went ignored among men and he considered it emasculating to hate his body.

“I feel like I’ve got mates who are bigger than me and they have their shirt off at the beach because they don’t care they’re like whatever I’m a bloke I’ve got a dad bod but I just can’t get there,” he continued.

“Even when I was the fittest I’ve ever been, I was about 83kg, I was running marathons, I was working out 3 times a week I still wasn’t happy with it so I don’t know that I’ll ever be happy with it.”

The pair of co-hosts have vowed to continue working on body acceptance together.

If you, or someone you know, needs help contact the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE or visit butterfly.org.au