Linda Robson's hair fell out and 'breath stank' due to 'revolting' side effect of extreme diet

Loose Women's Linda Robson has candidly shared her experiences with a diet so severe it led to a series of "revolting" side effects. The 66 year old TV star, who has been open about her struggles with weight and body image, has tried everything from WeightWatchers to slimming pills, but maintains they're "all horrible".

She revealed that one particular diet, which consisted of packet soups, snack bars and milkshakes, resulted in bad breath and hair loss, while leaving her feeling constantly hungry. Speaking to Woman magazine, Linda confessed: "I've spent most of my life on one sort of diet or another, even when I probably didn't need to.

"I've done WeightWatchers and used slimming pills - I've tried just about every one available, and they're all horrible." She continued: "They either give you diarrhoea or they send you hyper. The plan (with one diet) was so strict, and the side effects I experienced were revolting."

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"My hair started falling out, my breath stank, and because I was literally living on packet soups, a snack bar and a milkshake - that's all I would have all day - I was starving the whole time."

She admitted that such a diet is "not sustainable" and she knew she "couldn't last on it forever", but as soon as she resumed eating like a "normal person", the weight "went back on". Linda, whose weight has "yo-yoed so much over the years", made headlines in 2017 due to her dramatic weight loss, which she attributed to cutting out alcohol and sugar.

The Birds of a Feather star Linda Robson has candidly spoken about her past struggles with health issues, including alcoholism, OCD, and insomnia, admitting that despite looking "better" than she had in "years" she was battling serious problems.

Reflecting on those challenging times, she shared: "After I stopped drinking the wine, I went down to a size eight, and everyone was telling me how good I looked because of the weight loss, but inside, I was falling apart."

She described the toll it took on her appearance: "I was spending whole days crying, and I looked absolutely terrible, really skinny like a skeleton... It was as if I was at death's door, with hollowed-out cheeks and lines etched across my face."

Linda's turnaround began with her 2019 rehab stint, which saw her regain weight and self-confidence. Now, she reveals she's "never felt more confident" and "at ease" with herself, maintaining her sobriety. Besides abstaining from alcohol, Linda follows a vegetarian diet, avoids fizzy drinks, yet still indulges in the "odd biscuit."