Ulrika Jonsson has admitted that she has battled with depression and spoken out about the dramatic weight loss which caused a media frenzy recently.
Jonsson has admitted that she battled with depression after suffering from degenerative disc disease.
In an interview with Hello, the 'Shooting Stars' regular revealed that her weight dropped to seven-and-a-half stone as she lost her appetite and struggled with the condition.
She said: "There was no let up, none at all. I was in agony 24 hours a day...It felt like someone had poured acid down my lower back.
"For me the pain in my lower back was increased by fluid leaking from the discs and causing immense pain down my left leg."
She added: "I had become severely depressed and just couldn't see a way out. I had some very dark moments during that period."
Speaking about criticism in the press at the time about her gaunt physique, the 43-year-old said: "It was this suggestion that I was inflicting all this on myself willingly that got to me...
"It was incredibly frustrating because the suggestion that I would risk my health for the perfect body goes against everything I've ever believed in.
"I've never been obsessed about the way my body looks - all I've ever wanted is to be healthy, because without our health, we have nothing.
"I had lost my hunger not just for food, but for life. Food is a happy thing for me and I was desperately unhappy, so there was no quick fix solution of hearty meals."
She added: "I am normally a very determined person, I've achieved a lot in my 43 years - but last year took the wind out of me.
"I felt as if I was running on empty, I was determined not to be defined by my pain. But it became such a dominating factor in my life."
