Nick Ferrari has sparked a furious debate by claiming it is “always” someone’s fault if they are overweight.
The British TV presenter, 65, appeared on Tuesday’s episode of This Morning, where he discussed the causes of obesity with ITV News deputy political editor Anushka Asthana.
The debate was spurred by recent comments from 90s fitness guru Mr Motivator, who said he believed people now took criticism of their weight “too personally”, despite levels of diabetes and d obesity that was “exploding”.
Encouraging debate on the topic, host Cat Deeley asked Nick and Anushka: “Did we go a little too easy?”
But Nick has sparked the fury of Anushka and the British public by suggesting that ‘child abuse’ and ‘genetic issues’ are not valid reasons to be overweight – as netizens on social media have said “disgusted” by these remarks.
Nick Ferrari appeared on This Morning on Tuesday to debate the causes of obesity.
The LBC presenter said: “I’m fat! Of course I am – there’s no point in denying it. It’s not because I was abused as a child or have genetic issues or anything.
“I don’t exercise enough and I enjoy red wine, so I’m fat, I’m overweight. I do not care! And I accept that it’s my problem.
“That said, I should probably go to the gym, but I don’t get mad if someone calls me that.”
Anushka was quick to point out that “it’s not always someone’s fault if they’re fat” – something Nick disagreed with, arguing: “Of course it is! I should run up and down a hill!”
Anushka continued, “As if! People have different metabolisms, they have different chemicals that make them hungry or not.
“My weight bounces up and down and some people find it very easy, others don’t.
As Nick scoffed, she added: “It’s not just laziness, a lot of people are really trying hard to lose weight.”
The comments also sparked outrage online, as one viewer said they felt “disgusted” by the segment: “Call @NickFerrariLBC if you were abused as a child and just as disgusted as I am with his comments later.”
ITV News deputy political editor Anushka Asthana disagreed with Nick, arguing that “it’s not always someone’s fault that they’re fat”.
The debate has been spurred by recent comments from 90s fitness guru Mr Motivator (pictured in the show), who said he thought people now took criticism about their weight “too personally”.
Nick (left) sparked the fury of Anushka and the British public by suggesting that ‘child abuse’ and ‘genetic issues’ are not valid reasons for being overweight.
The LBC host said: “I don’t exercise enough and I enjoy red wine, so I’m fat, I’m overweight.”
Others said: “I’m fat, but it’s well known that being rude to overweight people and telling them to lose weight doesn’t make them do it, it often does just the opposite”;
“Why do people care so much about other people’s weight…isn’t everyone just lazy? » ;
“Ah yes Nick, everyone who is overweight should run up a hill.”
Mr Motivator – who sparked the initial debate by claiming people are too sensitive about weight – appeared on the show via video link, adding that people are “lazy” because they don’t move enough.
He said: “It all starts from within. When I say people are lazy, it’s true!
“If you spend all your time watching TV and you haven’t moved, that’s laziness. If you buy ready-made meals rather than making them yourself, you’re being lazy.
“In Jamaica, if you’re fat, they call you fat!” Nobody has any objection to that. I have never shamed anyone, at the end of the day you have to take responsibility. If you love yourself, who am I to say otherwise?
Host Ben Shephard concluded the segment by attempting to calm the heated debate, saying, “It’s really important that we point this out – there are people who have health issues.”
The comments also sparked outrage online, as one viewer said they felt “disgusted” by the segment.
Born Derrick Evans, 71, but known for his colorful spandex jumpsuits and outfits, Mr Motivator said levels of diabetes and obesity have “exploded” because Britons spend too much time in front of the television.
Speaking on the Loose stitches podcast, he said: “In those days you could tell someone was fat if you wanted to, no one really took it that seriously.
“You could hit someone in the stomach and say ‘you need to take care of this,’ but we’re talking about the early ’90s.
“Now times have changed, you don’t do this because everyone should have the right to be whatever size you want.
“But I think my job is to say ‘look, you can wear a size 20 if you want to, but you can wear a size 20.’
He said he always liked to “dress it up with a sugary coating” and make the shaping “bright and colorful” and “fun.”
He added: “Our levels of obesity and diabetes in this country have exploded.
Born Derrick Evans, 71, but known for his colorful spandex jumpsuits and outfits, Mr Motivator said levels of diabetes and obesity have “exploded” because Britons spend too much time in front of the television (pictured of October).
“It’s exploded because people have become lazy, we spend too much time in front of the television, we don’t really think about the fact that we are a wonderful specimen and we have to take care of it.
“So my desire now is to say, ‘Look, I’m 71 years old and as far as I’m concerned, I want to be a living example of someone who goes over the hill but picks up speed.’
NHS figures show that 64% of UK adults are overweight and more of us are expected to gain weight in the future.
Obesity is also a problem for British children: one in ten young people in England are now obese by the time they start school, with the rate rising to one in five by year 6.
Obesity is not only increasing Brits’ waistlines, but also healthcare costs, with the NHS spending an estimated £6.1 billion treating weight-related illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers between 2014 and 2015.