Former reality star Joey Turner hits back over shocking Instagram photos

A former star of The Only Way Is Essex is angrily defending himself after his latest Instagram posts left fans begging him to get help.

Former UK reality star Joey Turner has insisted he is happy and healthy as he responds to concern about his weight.

The former star of The Only Way Is Essex denied he is suffering from an eating disorder in an exclusive interview, telling The Sun: “I can’t help that I am skinny. I am not going to apologise to anyone.”

Joey, 20, sparked concerns as he appeared slimmer than usual in recent Instagram posts, but he told The Sun he’s always been “tall and skinny” and plans to stay that way.

TOWIE star Joey Turner in one of his latest posts.

Addressing his weight, he said: “The thing is I have always had a long thin frame, I am 5ft 11in [180cm] so I am quite tall and I have always had a long frame.

“Maybe I have lost weight, but not because I am starving myself.

“I weigh 7.5 stone [47kg], but I don’t weigh myself. I don’t care about how much I weigh. I am skinny, I can’t help that I am skinny. I am not going to apologise to anyone.”

Turner has said he weighs 47kg.

Turner in April 2019. Picture: WENN/Alamy

Joey believes he has a healthy diet and on an average day he eats a bowl of Special K, a salad for lunch and sushi for dinner. When he goes out he enjoys vodka with water.

He said: “I don’t eat loads. I am not really a foodie. That’s not me being anorexic; I just don’t care to participate in gluttony.”

Fans shocked: ‘Please check he is OK’

His followers are worried.

Turner sparked concern after showing his dramatic image change since leaving the reality show.

One worried fan commented under a recent photo: “The more you post the more concerned I am getting.”

Another said: “TOWIE friends, please check he is OK.”

A third wrote: “Very, very sad.”

But his friend and former reality TV co-star Chloe Brockett reacted to worried fans commenting on Instagram about his appearance, insisting: “It’s his choice.”

Turner with castmate Chloe Brockett in April 2019. Picture: WENN/Alamy

“What I’m a bit confused is as to why I’m constantly getting tagged in these pictures saying I should ‘help’ Joey,” she wrote under one of his posts.

“He is fine, he eats. I’ve spoken to him, I see him regularly, all these people preaching about ‘help your friend’ are also writing ‘vile’ and ‘far too skinny!’

“Sorry Karen from Blackpool, I forgot you see Joey regularly and know what he’s eating and how he is? Yet me, his friend, gets moaned at by complete strangers? Make it make sense. Joey is fine and we speak regularly. I understand he looks skinny, but that is his personal choice.”

Supportive family

Turner has asked if body positivity ‘only applies to bigger people’.

Turner said his friends and family are aware of his eating habits and although his mum does tell him he’s skinny, she’s not worried about him, saying: “She knows me, she knows my medical history, she knows my metabolism and she knows my mindset.”

The fashion lover quit The Only Way Is Essex in May this year and is now studying fashion design at university in London.

Fans think his appearance has changed dramatically since being on the slow, but Joey said it’s only natural over time and believes that a lot of the comments are “disguising hatred with a helping hand”.

He said: “When I was on TOWIE, I started when I was 17. I hadn’t even finished puberty at that point.

He has said: ‘I can’t help being skinny.’

“Everyone comes into themselves. I was still young. Nobody looks the same from 17 to 20. I am at a pivotal point in my life where I am going to change. If I started the show when I was 23 and I’m now 27, then that is a bit different.”

Joey also questioned the double standards in society.

“We live in a generation where everyone is preaching about body positivity, but does that only apply to bigger people?”

Life after reality TV

He also said he’s now more free to post what he wants – without having to worry about the reputation of the show.

The star is aware of how his posts might come across, but said: “I do understand their point of view, but I am not on TV anymore. I don’t have the responsibility to anyone. I am a 20-year-old student. I just want to live my life and post the things I want to post without having people telling me about myself.”

Joey said he had no intention to censor his posts and vowed to continue embracing his body.

He said: “To put it bluntly – I can’t help being skinny. I am happy, healthy and have supportive people around me.”

This story originally appeared on The Sun and is republished here with permission

Originally published as Former reality star Joey Turner hits back over shocking Instagram photos