Pedestrian TV

Lily Allen's Body Dysmorphia  February 8, 2010

Ever since she's been on the scene throwing around profanity and exposing her third nipple, Lily Allen's regularly fluctuating waistline has been the topic of much media scrutiny. Now, in an interview in the latest edition of LOVE magazine , Allen has admitted to suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a psychological condition whereby the affected person is excessively anxious about a perceived defect in his or her physical features.

In a post on her Myspace site in 2007, Allen wrote: "I used to pride myself on being strong-minded and not being some stupid girl obsessed with the way I look. I felt like it didn't matter if I was a bit chubby. I'm afraid I have fallen victim to the evil machine. I have spent the past hour researching gastric bypass surgery and laser liposuction."

Over the last couple of years she has become one of the up-and-coming icons of British fashion, and is one of the muses to fashion's high priest, Karl Lagerfeld - who is famous for his disapproval of plump, which surely adds to the pressure. In the LOVE interview, for which she was photographed topless, Allen said: 'Ask me, ‘What do you see when you look in the mirror in the morning?’ and I’ll be like, ‘Someone who is more overweight than I actually am. I honestly think I look like Michelle McManus or something.' Michelle McManus is a Scottish singer who must be stoked to be name-checked by Lily Allen.

Allen is about to take some time out from the music biz to concentrate on her online fashion rental shop.

For information on BDD or other anxiety-related disorders visit Beyond Blue