15 October 2023 , 06:00
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Talentless”, “ugly”, a “fat mess”. Words you probably wouldn’t say to your worst enemy. Yet these are some of the confidence-shattering slurs Chanelle Hayes has been forced to endure, via social media, on a near-daily basis.
When she shot to fame on Big Brother back in 2007, aged 19, Twitter was in its infancy and Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat didn’t exist. How times have changed. “When I went on Big Brother, I was due to start university the month after it finished and I genuinely thought I’d still go back to normal. But it didn’t happen,” Chanelle, 35, exclusively tells the Mirror.
“It was crazy. I didn’t know it would lead to me being in magazines and papers and I just couldn’t believe how crazy my life was coming out of that house. It was a complete whirlwind.”
Dealing with paparazzi was one thing, but as social media use exploded, Chanelle was caught in the increasingly cruel crossfire. But it wasn’t until she gained weight that the trolls really came out in force. “They would say my body is ‘disgusting’ and ask what happened to me – just awful things really,” she says. “I used to reply to them, but I think it made things worse. I’d spend hours talking to these people. Then I’d get angry... it would really bother me.”
Chanelle Hayes shot to fame on Channel 4's Big Brother back in 2007 (David Cummings)
She has been forced to endure confidence-shattering slurs on a daily basis (David Cummings)In a bid to shine a light on the vicious world of trolling, Chanelle has agreed to pose for our photos with some of the typical insults she receives scrawled on her body. From “greedy pig” to “slob” and “disgusting”, the comments seem even more hard-hitting when visually connected to their undeserving target.
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“Having these words on me gives people a slap back to reality and makes them realise they do need to watch what they say,” she says. Since 2013, Chanelle has fluctuated between a dress size 6 and 20, after depression led to unhealthy eating habits. In 2020, she had a gastric sleeve fitted and lost nine stone, dropping from a dress size 18 to a 10. The same year she also had a hair transplant, after yo-yo dieting led to hair loss.
Keyboard warriors called her “an egg” because of her receding hairline, but by this point, Chanelle had learnt to ignore the haters. “Now I think, ‘Why would I waste even more of my day? What’s the point?’” she shrugs. “It used to really get to me, but it was ridiculous having these long chats about my looks with people I don’t even know.”
Keyboard warriors called her 'an egg' because of her receding hairline (David Cummings)While Chanelle is good at blocking out the negative comments, the same can’t be said for her two sons – Blakely, 13, whose father is ex-Middlesbrough footballer Matthew Bates, and six-year-old Frankie, who she had with her ex, Ryan Oates.
“The only time it annoys me is if it affects my children or my loved ones,” she says. “At school, other kids can be nasty to my kids. That’s an issue. It would be good if the school were a bit more supportive, but what can I do? It really does affect them and upset them. It doesn’t happen so much for Frankie, but older kids do say things, which is frustrating.”
Three years on from her dramatic weight loss, the mum-of-two is feeling much more confident. “I’m a much nicer person since losing weight,” admits Chanelle, who says her battered self-esteem caused her to retreat from friends and family.
“I was just so sad all the time, or always in a mood. It got to the point whereI didn’t want to go out any more, so I’d just stay in on my own. I’d make an excuse every time someone asked me to do something so I didn’t have to leave. I lost a part of my life and myself. Now, I’m way more relaxed and chilled out.”
At her lowest, Chanelle says she felt so desperately alone and guilty. “My friends are all really nice people, so I didn’t lose any of them, but I missed out on time and on fun things,” she says. “It was so lonely, it was awful. And then I’d feel guilty so I’d eat. It was a horrific cycle – something needed to stop.”
Although her gastric surgery has helped her maintain a healthy weight, Chanelle still struggles with binge eating. “My relationship with food still isn’t perfect and it’s something I need to work on,” she says. “I have to remind myself how far I’ve come, so if I’m having a bad day, don’t throw myself into a takeaway. Or if I do, don’t feel guilty for it the next day.”
The operation meant Chanelle was left with loose skin around her stomach, which she felt was “ageing” her. In January this year, she opted for a tummy tuck, but now regrets her decision.
“I’m happy with my weight, but I’m not happy with my tummy tuck scar. It goes up in the middle and I didn’t want it to,” she says. “I knew straight after the surgery that it wasn’t what I wanted. If I could go back, I would much rather have the loose skin I had before than have the results I have now.”
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And Chanelle is only recently back on her feet after recovering from the operation, which she describes as “horrific”. “My tummy tuck really did knock me for six this year,” she tells us. “I was in so much pain during the recovery. They found a hernia during surgery, so repaired that, which caused a lot of pain.
So yeah, it was just… a lot. “I am feeling better now, but the recovery was so long. I couldn’t drive, I had to sleep sitting up… I couldn’t even stand up straight. So I wouldn’t put myself through it again. It wasn’t worth it.”
Chanelle appeared in the show in 2007 (Getty Images)
She had a gastric sleeve fitted in 2020 (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)One person who has supported Chanelle throughout her post-surgery ordeal is her fiancé, Dan Bingham, 41, who popped the question in 2022 after one year of dating. Dan is just a star, an absolute legend who has fallen out of the sky and into my life,” gushes Chanelle, who had an on-off romance with ex-boy band star Ziggy Lichman following her time in the Big Brother house.
“He is so supportive and says I’m perfect the way I am. He says, ‘You don’t need to have anything done, but if it makes you happy then do what you want’. So he got a little ‘I told you so’ in when I realised I didn’t like my tummy tuck scar.”
Plans for their wedding next year are already underway and Chanelle, who is also studying to be a nurse, has been feeling the pressure. “I’m stressed because I’ve got so much to do,” she says. “My dissertation is also due next year and although I’m excited to be getting married, it’s a lot. I probably couldn’t have a wedding planner as I’m a bit of a control freak.”
As to what her dream day might involve, she says she’s not going for a big blow-out event.
Plans for their wedding next year are already underway (Instagram/chanellejhayes)
Social media didn't really exist when Chanelle was on Big Brother (Channel 4)“It’s not going to be a massive, grand wedding,” she promises. “It will be more relaxed. I just want a big party.”
Now enjoying a quieter life with Dan and her boys, Chanelle says she’ll be tuning in to watch the new series of Big Brother, which started last Sunday with a launch show.
“This is the perfect time to bring Big Brother back,” she says. “ Love Island is getting a bit old and the other [reality shows] aren’t as popular either, so it’s right. I can’t wait to watch it.”
So if she could send a letter back in time, what advice would Chanelle give her 19-year-old self before going on the show? ”To be confident in who I am,” she says. “And not to take people at face value. Boys are going to tell you that they love you, but they might not actually.
“But I don’t have any regrets, because I like how my life has turned out now. I’ve let go of worrying what other people say and think – it’s exhausting and not worth it. I’m just happy in myself.”