I was once compared to a small bungalow...fat shaming is still rife in opera, says star
Tenor Nicky Spence, 42, is internationally renowned after being snapped up by Universal at the age of just 21.
Billed as 'The Scottish Tenor', he recorded an album with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra called My First Love as part of a £1m record deal.
He also toured with Katherine Jenkins and Shirley Bassey and was a regular on TV.
Despite this, he turned his back on his recording contract to pursue an opera career on stage, where the likes of Luciano Pavarotti - known for being overweight - made his mark.
The singer, of Dumfries, said he had been 'fat-shamed' in the past - and that it was still going on in the opera world.
Opera stars are often seen as 'overweight', although it is more a myth than reality.
Mr Spence said he knew he was a 'slightly obese balding man', but says he was once compared to a 'small bungalow' by a costume designer.
He said: 'I've had such a great career by not looking like a god.
'I remember when I did The Magic Flute one of the first times, the designer looked at me and said 'I'm so sorry. I drew this image before I knew'.
'And I said 'Knew what?'.
'Basically, you know, insert 'You look like a small bungalow'.'
He told the Review supplement of The Times earlier this month: 'It still does go on, absolutely.
'When I was younger I was always active to show that I am not fat because I'm lazy. I'm fat because I have trauma attached to food.'
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