Female TV presenters ordered to lose weight

EIGHT female TV presenters have been suspended for being “too fat” and told to go on a diet, sparking outrage among women’s groups.

Khadija Khattab is one of eight female presenters suspended from Egypt’s state broadcaster for being ‘too fat’. Picture: Iltalehti.fi

EIGHT female presenters at Egypt’s state broadcaster have been suspended for being “too fat” and told to go on a diet, sparking outrage among women’s groups.

The BBC reports the Egyptian Radio and Television Union has given the women one month to lose weight before they can appear on air again with an “appropriate appearance”.

Channel 2 host Khadija Khattab, one of the affected women, told the Al-Yawm al-Sabi newspaper she wants people to watch her TV appearances and judge for themselves whether she is “fat” and deserves to be prevented from working.

Egypts Women’s Centre for Guidance and Legal Awareness said the move “violates the constitution” and was a form of violence against women, the BBC reports.

The news has sparked debate among commentators in Egypt, with one female journalist saying the policy should be applied across all stations.

According to the BBC, some social media users criticised the policy, but others backed the move, describing the presenters as “bakabouzas”, a term Egyptians use to describe overweight women.

The ERTU has a female director, Safaa Hegazy, who is a former state TV anchor. One female Twitter user described her as a “strong woman” for the move.