Ulrika Jonsson has hit out at ageism after she was inundated with ‘nasty’ comments about her appearance.
The TV host, 57, was videoed talking to Spencer Matthews on his podcast Untapped earlier this week, but on social media the clips sparked more conversation about her appearance than her words, as she discussed sobriety.
After the vocal onslaught – in which many asked about her skin, her age, and made jokes about her complexion – the model took to social media and called out the haters.
‘I feel I need to address something,’ Ulrika began alongside a selfie of her in a sunhat.
‘I don’t get a lot of nasty comments – or if I do, I don’t see them or send people love in response. But a couple of weeks ago I took part in a fab podcast @untapped.podcast to discuss my sobriety with the smart @spencermatthews.
‘I wore no make-up. Partly because I kinda forgot that a project for the ears is nowadays also a feast for the eyes.
‘But as someone who has had to wear heavy make-up on screen from 5am for years, I’m not a fan.
‘Most crucially tho, since childhood I’ve suffered from eczema. On my body – the creases of my arms and legs – on my face – eyes and lips.
Make-up has always been the enemy because it’s been agony to wear.
‘There were a lot of positive comments about the WORDS I said on the podcast. But a considerable amount about my tanned appearance.
AND how OLD I look.
‘In a few weeks I will be 58. I will never look like the fresh 21yr old that used to greet you first thing in the morning by the weather board.
‘I’m not ashamed to say that I am a sun worshipper and will no doubt pay the price for that. But UV lamps and salt baths, astringent solutions and creams were a feature of my life since I was a small child.
‘I have uneven pigmentation doubtlessly not helped by ageing. I sometimes use filters in my pics because it’s easier than foundation and less painful.
‘I work tirelessly in my garden year round and often in the sun. I rarely sunbathe any more. Haven’t had a sunbed for 6 months – which I do occasionally in winter months. Not ashamed.’
Ulrika went on to claim she hadn’t been on a holiday ‘of any kind’ in seven years, despite seemingly having enjoyed a trip to Corfu in 2021, according to her social media.
She continued: ‘So, I understand that an over-tanned, imperfect and AGEING face offends you. But try to listen to the words rather than constantly judge women’s appearance.’
‘You might learn something. And making people feel s**t doesn’t make you a hero.’
Ulrika also discussed her sobriety on the podcast, having celebrated one year sober in June.
‘I believe that I will never drink again,’ she told the former Made in Chelsea star. ‘I’m tapping into the person that was always there that I didn’t think was there when I was drinking.
‘I thought I was s**t. My opinion of myself was never very high,’ she said.
‘My mindset, my approach has just completely changed, and at nearly 58 I didn’t think that would be possible. I thought I wasn’t very good at life, I wasn’t cut out for it, and I was just a pretty average to rubbish person.’
Ulrika’s comments about ageism come after she made an accusation against former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace, who hit back with a now-infamous comment that he was being targeted by ‘middle-class women of a certain age’.
Jonsson told The Telegraph that when she competed on Celebrity MasterChef in 2017, Wallace allegedly had to apologise after making a ‘rape joke’, which caused another female contestant to become ‘really distressed.’
After Wallace’s comment, she told The Telegraph: ‘When he made reference to women of a certain age I was just seething… I was just absolutely wild.’
‘My first reaction was just, “Keep digging, Gregg. Keep digging” because this shows the arrogance of a man who has zero introspection or self-awareness.
‘When we refer to women “of a certain age”, they tend to be women my age, over 50, which is ironic because we are some of the hardiest women out there. When I was starting out, we had to put up with all sorts of sexist, misogynistic comments, and we put up with them.’
Wallace has since been axed from MasterChef after 45 allegations made against him were upheld in an investigation into his behaviour.
He denied many of the allegations and said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for any distress caused.
Former Gladiators host Ulrika previously opened up about her journey with ageing, saying that she avoids mirrors as her face is ‘collapsing and diminishing’.
‘I try to avoid mirrors for that very reason because I will look into them and pull everything about me apart,’ she wrote in The Sun. ‘I’m wondering if it’s an age thing.
‘Goes without saying that the ageing process is not as fun as you hope. Or as gracious and forgiving as you think it will be when you’re in your twenties.’
She explained: ‘Fast forward to my fifties and “putting my face on” takes an hour. All I see is how my face is collapsing and diminishing – except for the hairs on my chinny, chin, chin. There’s plenty of them.’
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