Tom Daley, 31, admits he still struggles with body dysmorphia after battling bulimia as he credits husband Dustin Black, 51, for his support in ‘dark times’

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Tom Daley has shared that he continues to deal with body dysmorphia, explaining that there’s often pressure within the LGBTQ+ community to meet unrealistic physical standards.

The 31-year-old Olympic champion, who struggled with an eating disorder while competing as a diver, said his husband, Dustin Black, 51, was a major source of strength during challenging periods.

Despite being in great shape with a visible six-pack, Tom says he actually feels intimidated going to the gym now. He continues to go, though, because he wants to stay in athletic condition.

In an interview with Radio Times, the Traitors star discussed difficult times and credited their husband with being a strong source of support. They also spoke about pressures within the gay community, noting that some people have unrealistic expectations about body image.

He explained that even as an Olympic athlete, he doesn’t enjoy going to the gym. He feels self-conscious and worried about being judged by others, finding the environment intimidating.

Tom shared that his struggles with an eating disorder began in 2011, when he was 17. It started after the director of his diving team told him he needed to lose weight.

He admitted he was completely lost about how to handle things, so he started simply cutting out food. This led to intense hunger and overeating, and afterward, he felt so guilty that he developed bulimic tendencies for a period of time.

It was a really difficult period, mainly because I felt completely alone with what I was going through. At the time, men weren’t encouraged to discuss struggles with eating disorders.

Body dysmorphia is a mental health condition that causes people to intensely worry about perceived imperfections in their looks. Often, these perceived flaws are barely noticeable to other people, says the NHS.

Bulimia nervosa is a serious mental health condition and eating disorder, as defined by the NHS.

As someone who’s spent years observing how people relate to themselves, I’ve learned that body image can be a really tough area for many. Earlier this year, Tom opened up to Fashion Magazine about his own experiences, and he was incredibly honest about going through some genuinely difficult times with his self-perception.

Back in 2011, the person in charge of my training told me I needed to lose weight and get back to the physique I had when I was fourteen – I was almost eighteen years old then.

That was the first time I felt self-conscious about my appearance, like someone was noticing my body rather than what I was doing.

‘I struggled with all kinds of different issues around body dysmorphia and bulimia.’

Tom retired from diving in 2024 and is now focusing on new projects, including hosting the Channel 4 knitting show, Game of Wool.

The documentary forced him to look back on the good and bad of his Olympic career.

The diver said he felt particularly alone as a man suffering from an eating disorder.

He explained that men didn’t generally discuss this kind of thing. There was a belief that it only happened to women, which made him feel very isolated going through it.

Tom admitted his athletic career had difficult moments, but he’s also looking forward to sharing those experiences with his kids.

Tom and his husband, Lance, are parents to twins, Robert (Robbie) and Phoenix Rose, who were born in 2023 with the help of a surrogate mother.

The retired diver, now a skilled knitter, said his focus gradually changed to spending time with his family.

He explained that by the time the Tokyo Olympics happened in 2021, he understood he was more than just an athlete focused on diving.

‘Between 2016 and 2021, I got married, we had a kid and my priorities shifted.’

Touching upon his changing priorities, Tom said that knitting became a healthy distraction for him.

He shared that the strict lockdowns during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics led to an unexpected skill – he became very proficient at knitting.

‘It allowed me to really stay present and have a healthy distraction.’

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2025-10-28 21:33