'It changes everything' Tom Fletcher reveals how his children helped him overcome an eating disorder

The dad of two spoke about his sons in the emotional interview...

Dad of two Tom Fletcher has revealed that becoming a parent was partly responsible for him being able to overcome a secret eating disorder.

Appearing on Loose Women, the McFly star joined his wife Giovanna Fletcher to talk about how life changes post-children. The couple have a two-year-old son Buzz and a four month old, Buddy, who was born in February.

The panellists on Loose Women asked Tom about some of the things he talked about in this 2012 biography, Unsaid Things, which included his relationship with food and how he became obsessed with distancing himself from being 'the fat one' in McFly.

Crediting his children for helping him turn the corner Tom said, 'Being a dad you realise that it's not about you any more. All the cliches are true I think. It changes everything that you do and you realise why you're doing it, who you're doing it for.

'It gives you a real purpose and interestingly I think I've become more driven in my career and in my life since having the kids and I don't think I expected that to happen because I know I'm doing it now.'

Tom, who has written children's stories and vlogs regularly with his family, revealed in his autobiographical book that he had a 'deeply unhealthy' battle with his weight before he became a dad.

'I was obsessing about being the fat one in the band,' he said. 'I wanted to lose weight, but rather than going about it the sensible way, I pretty much stopped eating.

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go to Starbucks and order a frappuccino and blueberry muffin and that was me for the day. Not only would I beat myself up internally if I consumed anything else, I'd be in a foul mood if we were working somewhere there was no Starbucks. It was an obsession - and a deeply unhealthy one.'

Giovanna has also faced battles with people's perception of her post-baby body, revealing earlier this week that strangers commented on her weight saying she 'still had her tummy'.

Tom and Giovanna have supported each other through a lot of life's ups and downs, having met through school at age 13, and often speaking about each other as their 'childhood sweethearts'.

Rosie Conroy
Food Writer

Rosie is an experienced food and drinks journalist who has spent over a decade writing about restaurants, cookery, and foodie products. Previously Content Editor at Goodto.com and Digital Food Editor on Woman&Home, Rosie is well used to covering everything from food news through to taste tests. Now, as well as heading up the team at SquareMeal - the UK's leading guide to restaurants and bars - she also runs a wedding floristry business in Scotland called Lavender and Rose.