Model programme criticised for comments

14-11-2006 16:17

According to reports, health officials have condemned the Channel Five programme Make Me A Supermodel after a size 12 lady was informed she is too chunky to be a catwalk model.

Jen Hunter, who had a lower than average body mass index of 20.4 when she first participated in the series has almost wept after being told she was not following a food and exercise plan rigourously enough.

Judge Tandy Anderson, managing director of Select Model Management, informed Ms Hunter, who has managed to get through to the finale of the programme, that her legs were "too stocky."

The 24 year old wannabe catwalk queen was also scolded by another judge Rachel Hunter for commenting that she wished to illustrate that bigger ladies could carve out a career as models. The supermodel admitted that she had fought with her weight for two decades and that Ms Hunter should follow suit. The production finishes this week when one of the quartet - two men and two women - wins a contract to model with Select.

Ms Hunter's competitor Marianne Berglund, 18, is clinically underweight. The mentors have revealed to her that she has a "great" figure.

Nutritionist Fiona Hunter is quoted in the Mail as saying: "It is highly irresponsible to tell a woman who is a size 12 she is too fat. This trend towards the size zero is putting young girls' long-term health at risk." A Channel Five spokesperson also adds in the newspaper: "The panel does not have any issue with Jen. However, Jen has not listened to any of the advice and subsequently put on weight."

The show finishes on Thursday.