I’m A Celebrity’s James McVey opens up on eating disorder battle

I’m A Celebrity star James McVey has opened up on his battle with an eating disorder.

In an interview with the Mirror, The Vamps guitarist said he developed an issue with his weight after being overweight as a child.

It developed into a “negative relationship” with food which left him “stick thin”.

The 24-year-old said: “Fans always send me pictures from years ago and I’m stick thin, and I didn’t realise back then just how thin I was.

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“I was ill and I looked ill. I’m happy that now I’ve come full circle and see food as a positive.

“I don’t want to belittle other people who have anorexia, but I think I definitely had a negative relationship with food in those early days. I was obsessed with food.

“It’s now about building muscle and getting leaner. You need to eat more of the good things.”

McVey joined The Vamps in 2012 and the band scored their first big hit in 2013 with Can We Dance, which reached number two in the UK charts.

Their third album, Night And Day, topped the album charts in 2017.

McVey has recovered from his lowest point and is now appearing in the I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! jungle alongside stars including former football manager Harry Redknapp, actor John Barrowman and television presenter Noel Edmonds.

He had previously spoken about his struggles with mental health and how he nearly quit the band during a tour of the US.