Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer didn’t want to leave the house after being trolled over weight when reboot was announced
TRACY Beaker star Dani Harmer has revealed that she didn’t want to leave her house after she was trolled about her weight.
The 32-year-old actress, who recently returned to our TV screens in My Mum Tracy Beaker, revealed she was fat-shamed for being a size 10 in February.
Following the nasty commentary, the TV star took to Instagram yesterday to discuss the devastating effect online bullying had on her mental health alongside a new shoot she did to highlight online trolling and abuse.
Sharing a lengthy caption, she penned: “Unfortunately trolling and online abuse seems to be a daily occurrence on social media nowadays and it’s just not right.
“I want everyone to be aware of just how much of an impact they make on the person behind the screen when they send abusive and hateful messages.
“I may have a job in the public eye but I am still very much a human being with feelings,” the actress continued.
“Announcing the new series ‘My Mum Tracy Beaker’ should have been a very exciting time in my life and I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone on social media!”
Adding: “But unfortunately even though I got hundreds of thousands of wonderful positive message they were overshadowed by the handful of really cruel ones.
“These messages about my weight and appearance caused huge anxiety and upset to the point I didn’t even want to look at my phone or leave the house!”
The BBC star then asked her social media followers to think before they write – and consider what they comment.
“Now, I’m a 32yr old grown up woman with a pretty thick skin so I can’t even imagine how messages like this must impact younger people!” she shared. “And it’s certainly not just those in the public eye that receive this sort of abuse!
“So all I ask of you is: in the future to really think about what you’re saying online! Have a think as to wether it’s TRUE and wether it’s NECESSARY!” (sic).
“If it’s going to hurt someone’s feelings then why bother??! I’ll say to you what I say to my daughter every morning when I drop her off to school ‘Be Kind, Always’!
“So please encourage your friends and everyone to think about their words before they type. And remember, there’s a person #BehindEveryScreen 
”.
In February, Dani revealed how she wanted to quit Instagram after being targeted by trolls over her size ten figure.
Speaking on FUBAR Radio, the Tracey Beaker star explained the comments about her recent weight gain made her want to quit social media.
After CBBC celebrated their most successful programme launch ever with My Mum Tracey Beaker, Dani slammed Instagram despite admitting it “got the word out” about the show.
“It’s kind of the reason why [the show] got such big viewing ratings – social media was kind of getting the word out there,” she began.
“But I personally wouldn’t have social media if it wasn’t so important now for kind of getting the message out there.”
The 32-year-old actress, who recently returned to our TV screens in My Mum Tracy Beaker, admitted she was being trolled about her weight.
Dani revealed the main reason was the abuse she faced due to her weight – most notably in 2012 when she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing.
“I was a size six when I was on Strictly. I don’t think you could get that much smaller – but obviously I’m five foot. So my size six isn’t going to look like a blooming five foot ten model.
“It’s very different. I’m squashed. I’m little and it doesn’t look the same right?”
Dani said she was keen to address her weight before returning to TV screens, knowing that it would likely generate conversation again.
“We’ve been in lockdown, I haven’t been afraid of the chocolate biscuits,” she joked. “I didn’t think in a million years we would film this series in the pandemic.
“I was just like eating away, and then they were like, ‘No, you are [filming]’, and I was like ‘Oh, great! I’m in perfect shape!’.
“I kind of wanted to get in there before all these stupid trolls came after me going, ‘Oh you’re fat now’.
“I’m a size 10 and no way in a million years is that big, for goodness sake. But I’m just kind of expecting it.”
Dani, who first played the iconic role of Tracy Beaker 20 years ago, said she knows how to deal with the criticism but wants to champion people to “be kinder” online.
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It comes after Dani responded to negative comments left on her social media, clapping back she’d never “be a model”.
Dani wrote to her followers: “I’m 5ft so obviously not going to ever look like a Victoria secret model but my goodness I’m fabulous.”
Lots of her fans replied to Dani’s tweet to remind her that she’s great just the way that she is.