Chrissie Swan and Meshel Laurie respond to Michelle Bridges’ controversial comments

RADIO stars Chrissie Swan and Meshel Laurie have fired back at Michelle Bridges’ claim that morbidly obese people can’t be happy.

RADIO stars Chrissie Swan and Meshel Laurie have fired back at Michelle Bridges’ claim that morbidly obese people can’t be happy.

The Biggest Loser trainer made the controversial comments on Australian Story last night.

“I think it might be seen that I have this agenda on people who are overweight or people who are deemed fat,” Bridges said on the ABC.

“Honestly if you are happy where you are, genuinely, more power to you. But I can tell you now, I am yet to have met someone who is morbidly obese and happy.”

Swan touched on Bridges’ comments on her Nova 100 radio show this morning.

“Michelle Bridges last night on Australian Story said that she’s never met a happy fat person, and yet mysteriously I have met her many times,” Swan said to co-hosts Sam Pang and Jonathan Brown.

“Hi Michelle if you are listening. Remember me? I’ve known you for years. We have met many, many times ... You can take it back now. I’m happy.”

Swan’s co-host Jonathan Brown chimed into the conversation by saying, “I always see bigger people as jovial”.

Michelle Bridges gave birth to her first son, Axel Bridges Willis, in December last year.

But Swan wasn’t having any of it, responding, “That is equally ridiculous.

“All we are saying is you should not judge someone’s entire character by what they look like ... Every fat person is not sad or trying to change themselves or jovial.”

Meshel Laurie also raised Bridges’ comments on her KIIS 101.1 radio show telling listeners, “I’m not as outraged as you might think”.

“It tapped into something that happened with my son Louis and I yesterday,” Laurie said to co-host Matt Tilley.

“He’s six, he’s in grade one ... He said to me, ‘Mummy, you’re fat.’ I said, ‘Yeah ... and that’s OK. I’m really happy. I’m a really happy person’,

“I meant it from the absolute pit of my soul.

“I’m such a lucky person. I’ve got two arms that work, two legs that work. A brain that’s sharp.

“My focus is always, I’ve actually got a perfect body. My body does everything you could ever ask for it to do. It had twins one time, it breathes properly. It is actually possible to be fat and happy, I promise you.”