Strictly star reached 'breaking point' over devastating eating disorder

Strictly Come Dancing star Dianne Buswell has revealed she nearly gave up her career while dealing with the effects of an eating disorder.

The professional dancer, 34, joined the BBC series in 2017 after competing on Dancing with the Stars in Australia.

During an appearance on This Morning on Tuesday, Dianne spoke about the impact that her battle with bulimia had on her life.

‘I think when it starts to consume your life and you wake up in the morning and wonder what will I eat, what calories will be in it, and how much exercise will I need to do to burn it off, that’s when you realise it’s a problem…when you’re not thinking about anything else but that,’ she told hosts Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle.

Reflecting on where she believed her body image issues began, she said it was likely due to her early start in the dance industry.

‘I do believe it comes from when I was a young girl,’ she shared.

‘Growing up in the dance world you feel like you have to look a certain wayI also went on to dance in dance companies and had a weekly weigh in and that was terrifying.’

Despite her career taking off at the time, Dianne said she got to a point where she ‘didn’t want to dance anymore and didn’t want to go on stage’.

‘I wasn’t sure if my body could get through an hour show,’ she explained.

‘My energy went away and I had nothing to give on the dancefloor.

‘I kept telling myself to keep going but there was a breaking point where my body physically couldn’t do it anymore.’

Bulimia – the common name given to the eating disorder bulimia nervosa – is characterised by binge-eating and extreme purging to avoid putting on weight.

Born in Australia, Dianne began dancing aged 5, and went on to compete from an early age in State, National and International Ballroom and Latin events.

Before moving to the UK, she also appeared on So You Think You Can Dance Australia, turning professional when she was 21 and joined the touring dance company Burn the Floor.

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Dianne previously revealed that she had been rushed to hospital while in her early 20s after exercising excessively and skipping meals during the day.

At the time, she admitted bulimia ‘put her career on the line’, saying she suffered with extreme exhaustion and spells of tiredness.

However soon after she sought help, she was cast on Strictly.

Dianne’s partner for her first season of the show was the Reverend Richard Coles, however they were the second couple eliminated.

For the sixteenth series of the show in 2018, Dianne’s partner Joe Sugg, with the pair later being named runners-up.

Soon after they revealed they were also dating, with the couple still together today.

In 2019 Dianne returned for her third season and competed with radio DJ Dev Griffin, but they were the third couple to leave the show.

For series 18 in 2020, she was partnered with The Wanted singer, Max George, however they were also eliminated third.

The following year she only competed for three weeks after her partner, comedian and actor Robert Webb, withdrew due to ill health.

In 2022, she was paired with radio and television presenter Tyler West for series 20, while last year she and partner Bobby Brazier made it to the final, which was ultimately won by Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola.

Strictly Come Dancing is streaming on BBC iPlayer. This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.

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