Julia Morris was keen to show off her “classic Britney [Spears] fit” on social media this week, but instead her fans were distracted by her noticeably slimmed-down appearance.
Expressing their concerns, one follower wrote, “Julia, take care of yourself, be around people who respect you and see you for you. No more weight loss”.
Another Instagram fan commented, “You look amazing but it’s time to stop losing weight. It’s important to be safe.”
An insider tells Woman’s Day, “Julia’s recent weight loss has certainly caught people’s attention, and some friends and family have expressed concern.
“However, Julia is insisting that she is perfectly fine and isn’t letting the chatter get under her skin.”
According to the source, the TV personality, 58, is “well aware of the commentary” but is choosing not to let the observations upset her.
“She is taking the attention in her stride and finding the humour in how comfortable strangers seem to be discussing her appearance,” the source says.
“Her attitude is very much that people should mind their own beeswax, and that what happens to her body is nobody else’s business.”
Julia’s body transformation comes just months after she lost her long-running hosting gig on I’m A Celebrity…, when the show was cancelled, and later picked up by the Seven network. The show’s fans were surprised when two new hosts, Ricki-Lee Coulter and Jim Jefferies, were then revealed.
While friends say Julia’s been feeling the “professional pressures” in recent times, she’s focusing on the next chapter which includes her new ABC show, Class Clowns.
“For now, Julia is just embracing a different pace of life and enjoying some breathing room,” the source adds.
Personal challenges
In the last five years, the mum-of-two has been on a journey of self-discovery since ending her 16-year marriage with comedian Dan Thomas. There have been struggles along the way, including the challenge of being diagnosed with ADHD in July last year and the grief of losing her father, but she says she has now “broken through to the other side”.
When quizzed about her slimmed-down, glamorous new look, Julia insisted: “The secret is being truly happy. It’s written all over me.”
In her typical comedic fashion, she jokes that staying single is another reason for her glow-up!
“People say, ‘Have you met someone?’ and I say, ‘Absolutely not – and that’s why I look so great!’” the star told TV WEEK.
On a serious note, Julia admits it can be hard not to get defensive when people approach her about her weight loss.
In a candid chat with The Australian Women’s Weekly recently, she said, “When I get stopped in the street, the first question I get asked is which of the medications I’ve been taking.
“But I find the conversation shuts down straight away when I say, ‘No, this is not [weight] medication. This is all trauma. Would you like to hear about it?’ Which they don’t.”
