Tom Daley opens up about his body dysmorphia issues and shares past traumatic eating disorder struggles

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Tom Daley has spoken candidly about his past difficulties with body image and eating problems, describing it as a very difficult period in his life.

The former Olympic athlete shared in his 2021 memoir, Coming Up for Air, that he thinks the intense pressure he faced before the 2012 London Olympics contributed to him developing body dysmorphia and bulimia.

In a recent interview with TopMob to discuss his Channel 4 show, The Game of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter, Daley explained the immense pressure he felt during the Olympics. He said it was a home games, and he knew he might never have another opportunity to compete in front of a British audience with all his loved ones present.

I knew the future of diving funding in Britain depended on my performance – if I didn’t win a medal, the funding would be cut. That created a lot of pressure, and leading up to the competition, I dealt with problems like an eating disorder and anxiety.

Someone asked me when I first realized I had an eating disorder, and it really hit me at the end of 2011. I started to notice people in the British diving community weren’t just seeing me as an athlete, but also focusing on my appearance. I was actually told I was overweight, which was a really tough thing to hear.

Daley explained that he didn’t know what he was doing when he started restricting his diet. He wasn’t eating enough to support his training, which led to intense hunger and overeating. After those episodes, he felt guilty and developed bulimic tendencies for a period of time.

It was a really difficult period, largely because I felt completely alone. Men weren’t expected to discuss struggles with eating disorders at the time.

It took years before I could even talk about what I was going through. Sharing my experiences eventually helped me break free from a difficult cycle, but it was a tough year of trying to understand and accept my body. The experience left a lasting impact.

Things were different when I was growing up – coaches used to yell at players. It’s much more respectful now, and that’s helped athletes feel more confident and in control.

Daley shared that he continues to deal with body dysmorphia, and his husband has been a major source of support. He believes unrealistic body expectations are common within the gay community.

The image shows the cover of TopMob magazine, featuring Tom Daley.

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2025-10-27 23:34