Richard Osman says he struggles with food addiction - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Celebrity Richard Osman opens up about struggling with food addiction By You Magazine - December 27, 2021 Richard Osman, the TV presenter and bestselling author, has opened up about his 40-year battle with food, saying ‘There hasn’t been a day in my life since the age of nine when I haven’t thought about problems with food and how it affects me’. Getty Speaking on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Osman said that his addiction to junk food, including chocolate bars and crisps, did not have the ‘doomed glamour of drugs or alcohol’ but described the addiction as ‘identical’ to being an alcoholic. ‘If an alcoholic came to my house they would be shocked to see bottles of gin and bottles of wine, completely untouched,’ Osman told presenter Lauren Laverne. ‘Because an alcoholic couldn’t have that in their house. ‘And if I came to your house and there were crisps or chocolate bars untouched in the fridge, I’d be like “What? How are they untouched?” – if I’m going through an episode.’ He described how being addicted to food is ‘tricky’ because whereas those with drink and drug problems could give them up entirely, nobody can go without food completely. ‘Because you have to eat it’s actually quite hard, and sometimes you do slip, but I try my best and certainly have no shame about it now’ he explained. Osman said that his problems started at the age of nine, which is when his father left home, an event that the presenter said ‘fundamentally changed’ him. Of the food addiction, Osman explained ‘It will be with me for the rest of my life. I know that. I’m either controlling it or not controlling it at any given time. These days, I control it more often than I don’t.’ Food addiction and emotional eating is an issue You has previously covered – read our beauty director Edwina Ings-Chambers’ powerful account of her own battle with her weight here. And we applaud Richard for help to destigmatise an issue that often has so much shame attached. RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR 50 of the best celebrity Halloween costumes of all time Shirley Ballas ‘ Strictly gave me back my hope’ Davina McCall discusses how men can help women going through the menopause Popular in Celebrity TV chef Gino D Acampo on Sardinia Sophia Loren and scary salads May 25, 2017 The Evergreen Goddess Exercise guru Diana Moran on looking fit and July 10, 2017 More more Julianne Moore November 13, 2017 Author Jill Mansell on designer notebooks commissioning art and the family January 16, 2018 EMOTIONAL TIES Kelly Hoppen on vodka vintage finds and being a April 4, 2018 ‘ I have no regrets’ Millie Mackintosh on divorce debt and reuniting May 20, 2018 EMOTIONAL TIES TV presenter and tennis player Annabel Croft shares her July 1, 2018 Stella Parton ‘ Dolly and I have always been close’ August 12, 2018 Anna Friel on getting jeered in the street shared parenting with September 23, 2018 Queen of primetime Charlotte Riley on juggling rising stardom with pregnancy October 21, 2018 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. All Rights Reserved