Lisa Riley backs Cheryl in body-shaming row: 'It's completely and utterly wrong'

X Factor judge Cheryl faced criticism of her slimmer appearance from fans when the show’s auditions were filmed in July.

Former Emmerdale actress Lisa has now spoken out and agreed that body-shaming is “completely and utterly wrong”.

“I completely agree with Cheryl. Body shaming is completely and utterly wrong. I want to be judged because I am a good actress or a good presenter – that is all,” Lisa told the Mirror.

The actress is a size 18 and has lost four stone since she took part in Strictly Come Dancing three years ago, but said, like Cheryl, she is still judged for her weight.

She said: “No matter what I look like I shouldn’t be judged, it is nobody else’s business. And I believe it’s exactly the same for Cheryl. Yes, she has lost some weight but it is her business, nobody else’s. Just look at her – she could wear a bin-liner and still look phenomenal.”

Crazy Stupid Love singer Cheryl hit back during an interview with ES magazine after social media trolls attacked her slimmer figure and said, “The body shaming has to stop. It’s bulls**t. Something has to be done, changed, even if it’s done in law.”

Cheryl also wrote on Instagram, “I am so sick and tired of it being OK to call somebody too thin or a ‘bag of bones’. I would never dream of calling somebody too fat and that they should maybe cut down on their food intake? What is the difference?”

Lisa agreed and said: “Just because we are in the public eye doesn’t mean we are mannequins. If our weight fluctuates it doesn’t matter.”

Lisa’s recent weight loss began with her appearance on Strictly when she reached the semi-finals in 2012. It was spurred on when her father Terry, 65, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which is more common in overweight people, and he now injects himself with insulin daily.

“Seeing my dad so ill was a huge wake-up call. He was in hospital with tubes and wires everywhere and it was a real flashback to my mum [who died of cancer at the age of 58]. I don’t want to be that person. If I can prevent myself from getting diabetes then I will,” she said.

She admitted that her four stone weight loss has left her with permanent excess skin. “I haven’t considered surgery yet, but I wouldn’t rule it out. I am 39 but it is like my body has been pregnant for 21 years. The elasticity is zero – I actually fold my belly button into my leggings,” she said.

Lisa, who is releasing her own range of plus-size clothing with justbeyouclothing.co.uk, maintained: “You can be big and sexy.”

She also revealed she found her “soulmate” 16 months ago. ”He is everything I want and more, and I don’t want that to end,” she said.