‘Loose Women’ panellist Martine McCutcheon has revealed why she’s absent from the show’s recent swimwear photo-shoot.
Earlier this week, the daytime show launched its #MyBodyMyStory campaign, encouraging women to feel more comfortable and empowered in their own skin, with a set of unairbrushed photos showing nine members of the presenting team in swimsuits.
However, while the likes of Nadia Sawalha, Janet Street-Porter and Stacey Solomon all took part in the photo-shoot, Martine has now revealed she decided not to take part, admitting that she “wasn’t brave enough” to strip off on camera.
Commenting on the photo on Instagram, she wrote (via The Sun) that her co-presenters were “the beautiful and the brave”, adding: “Love you all darlings… I admit it - I wasn’t brave enough to do it!! Well done ladies!!”
Earlier this week, Andrea McLean revealed that all of the ‘Loose Women’ panel were invited to take part in the campaign, with Linda Robson suggesting that Ruth Langsford’s absence was due to scheduling conflicts with ‘This Morning’.
Lisa Riley, Kaye Adams and Penny Lancaster were also among the ‘Loose Women’ panellists not included in the photo-shoot.
Since the pictures were revealed, Coleen Nolan has discussed how her sister Linda’s incurable cancer diagnosis motivated her to take part, while Saira Khan has slammed critics who have suggested that posing in a bikini conflicts with her Muslim faith.
She fumed on Instagram: “I feel so sorry for people like this who are so threatened by a woman’s body - this is not a “sexual” campaign - it’s one to empower women, for us to feel good about ourselves and our imperfections.
“It’s my choice to do this and if Allah doesn’t like it- let him deal with me - WTF does it have to do with anyone else?”
‘Loose Women’ airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.