During an episode of Lorraine, Great British Bake Off finalist Steph Blackwell spoke about the disordered eating she suffered in her teens.
Steph Blackwell was a fan favourite, with many of them rooting for her to win the competition. She was star baker four times in this year’s series!
Sadly, Steph didn’t win the competition, but she’s now determined to use her platform for a very important cause - raising awareness of eating disorders.
Speaking to Lorraine, Steph revealed that she struggled from both anorexia and binge eating when she was 17-years-old.
Opening up about this, she said, “I'd use food as a bit of a scaffold. I really controlled my life with food and things that I could do quite easily. When everything else felt completely out of control I used that as a way of dealing with things. It was a safety net."
Steph also revealed that she was advised not to speak publicly about the disorders, telling Lorraine, “If I’m going to be honest I think that those people who did tell me not to, were really protecting me. They thought that maybe it would make me more vulnerable with the problem.”
Read more: Great British Bake Off contestants: Where are they now?
She added, “I do always say I’m a work in progress. And so I do think there was a level of protection coming from them.”
However, Steph has decided to address this in the public eye, wanting to use the platform that Bake Off gave her for good.
She continued, “I think it’s so important to be authentic. "I didn't go on Bake Off to be the next celebrity but having been given the platform I've been given, I've been so desperate to help other people out there.
"If I can help one person then..."
Steph Blackwell shared a photo of herself and Lorraine Kelly, writing a heartfelt caption on Instagram about her experience.
She wrote, ‘Everyone’s experience is unique, as is their journey back to improved health but I hope that by speaking up, I can help others and that we can reduce the stigma associated with eating disorders. ... oh and having an eating disorder doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy bread and cake (and other foods). 🧁 🥯’
