Connect with us

Entertainment

Steve Allen’s shocking fatshaming history exposed: From branding Gemma Collins ‘the hut’ to banning people over 10st from listening to show

Steve Allen has a history of making bodyshaming comments on Twitter (Picture: LBC/Getty)

LBC’s Steve Allen posted a number of fatphobic tweets before bodyshaming Strictly Come Dancing star Tilly Ramsay live on his radio show.

In unearthed posts from 2014, the 67-year-old presenter branded Towie’s Gemma Collins a ‘beach hut’ and ‘fat and boring’ as well as describing her ex-boyfriend James Argent ‘fat boy’.

The discovery comes after Steve called Tilly ‘a chubby little thing’ on Wednesday, with the TV chef responding that she ‘won’t tolerate people that think it’s okay to publicly comment and scrutinise anyone’s weight and appearance’.

In one tweet posted on June 28, 2014, Steve wrote of Towie castmates Gemma, Arg, Bobby Norris, Harry Derbidge and Lydia Bright: ‘That’s Bobby and Harry, the really out to lunch Lydia Dim and her on off boyfriend fat boy fat Arg, who slept with the beach hut Gemma.’

One week later, on July 5, 2014, he penned: ‘Poor poor Gemma, fat and boring, no friends apart from Bobby, known as little Ms misery. It’s all going pear shaped, and how we laugh.’ (sic)

The fatphobic tweets didn’t stop there. In 2015 and 2016, Steve described Gemma as ‘Gemma the hut’, referring to the slug-like Star Wars character Jabba The Hutt.

Steve posted about James Argent and Gemma Collin’s appearance (Picture: Twitter)

He branded Gemma ‘fat and boring’ in 2014 (Picture: Twitter)

On September 29, 2015, he wrote: ‘Apparently Gemma the hut does have a shop in Brentwood very near the Slug and Lettuce, insert own joke here……’

‘And now Gemma the hut thinks she might be pregnant….. Ha ha ha what doe you mean love, you think? Unprotected sex…..,’ he added on January 23, 2016.

Prior to his scathing comments on Gemma, Steve stated in 2013 that nobody ‘over 10 stone’ is allowed to listen to his radio show after ‘some poor creature’ suggested that many of his listeners ‘are female and overweight’.

Steve’s cruel nickname for Gemma Collins was ‘Gemma the hut’ (Picture: Twitter)

Steve said nobody over 10 stone is allowed to listen to his show (Picture: Twitter)

Steve has yet to address his comments about Tilly, with LBC also not yet speaking out.

Tilly responded to Steve’s remarks saying she ‘won’t tolerate people that think it’s okay to publicly comment and scrutinise anyone’s weight and appearance’.

She blasted him for commenting on her appearance and reminding him she is a teenager, writing: ‘I try not to read and listen to comments and negativity however recently being called out on a national radio station by a 67-year-old man is a step too far.

‘Steve please feel free voice your opinions however I draw the line at commenting on my appearance.

Steve called Gemma Collins a ‘beach hut’ in a tweet shared in 2014 (Picture: Getty)

Gemma and James Argent both shot to fame in Towie (Picture: Rex)

‘It’s such a shame that someone is trying to make such a positive experience negative.

‘This isn’t the first and definitely won’t be the last comment made about my appearance and I accept that and I’m learning to accept myself.

‘But please remember that words can hurt and at the end of the day I am only 19 and I’m so grateful for all the amazing opportunities I have been able to take part in and I understand that being in the public eye obviously comes with its own repercussions and I’ve been aware of this from a young age.

Tilly Ramsay is competing on Strictly Come Dancing with Nikita Kuzmin (Picture: BBC)

‘However, I won’t tolerate people that think it’s okay to publicly comment and scrutinise anyone’s weight and appearance.’

She added the caption: ‘#bekind.’

Former Love Island star Dr Alex George, who was appointed a youth mental health ambassador for the Government earlier this year, criticised the radio presenter’s remarks.

He shared a screenshot of an email he sent to LBC about the incident on Instagram.

‘I am absolutely horrified by these remarks,’ his message read. ‘It is widely recognised just how damaging such comments about someone’s weight are and the effect they can have on an individual’s mental health.

‘We must not only think of the effect on Tilly here, which I can imagine could be significant, but also the potential impact to listeners of the show.’

Tilly was inundated with support from her Strictly co-stars, with It Takes Two presenter Janette Manrara writing: ‘How fast we forget what hurtful comments can do for someone’s mental health.

‘You are a POWERFUL young lady! Wear your crown w/ your head held high.’

More: Strictly Come Dancing

Professional dancer Dianne Buswell added: ‘Tilly your a beauty inside and out. I think your so brave to speak up about this, perfectly said I hope people learn from this.

‘Just know that we all support you and think your wonderful xxxx.’ (sic)

Metro.co.uk has contacted LBC and Steve for comment.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.