Chantelle Houghton has bravely opened up about her battle with disordered eating, admitting that those closest to her were concerned that she would die during her struggles08:43, 22 Jul 2026Updated 08:43, 22 Jul 2026Chantelle Houghton has bravely revealed she was "starving herself to death" during a battle with disordered eating. The former Celebrity Big Brother star consumed just 400 calories per day and also fit into her then 12-year-old daughter's clothes.‌The 42-year-old now says that she took dieting to dangerous levels, which left her riddled with pain and no energy. Her struggles saw those closest to Chantelle concerned, with her brother claiming she looked as though she "were dying".‌In a brave new interview, the TV star who found fame in 2006 also says that cruel social media would send vile tweets saying she looked as though she was consuming drugs.‌"I had no energy, I'd wake up in the morning, and my whole body would be in pain," Chantelle said. She went on to add: "It felt like my bones were hurting, and I was so weak I couldn't even walk my dog for very long."Speaking to The Sun, she continued: "My body was shutting down, crying out for nourishment. I knew I was slowly killing myself through not eating; I was starving myself to death.‌"People were saying I was a crackhead. I remember my brother looking at me one day and saying, 'Chantelle, if I didn't know you, I'd think you were dying.'" Chantelle admits she herself questioned whether she was "going to die for this," and asked: "Am I going to kill myself?"Chantelle has struggled with body dysmorphia for more than two decades, as well as previously battling bulimia. At one point, she managed to slip into her daughter's clothes, which brought her joy.She later purchased a tracksuit for herself from the Marks & Spencer children's department, which left her feeling "incredible". While eating disorders are most commonly associated with teenagers, it's been reported by Beat that 15 per cent of calls to their helpline are now coming from women aged between 40 and 59.‌The star now recognises that she suffered from disordered eating, but it felt as though it was a coping mechanism for her. While in a "bad place" or going through challenges beyond her control, Chantelle admits that her weight was the only thing she could control, even as she avoided coming to terms with certain issues in her life.But Chantelle turned her life around in 2024 while moving home, before acknowledging that she neeed to make a change for her daughter, now 14.Research from King's College London shows that there are individual-level barriers, including internalised shame, preventing people from reaching out for support while battling eating disorders.Article continues belowHowever, participants in their research also pointed out systematic barriers, including restrictive service eligibility criteria, including BMI thresholds and limited service provision for certain diagnoses of eating disorders.If you're worried about your health or the health of somebody else, you can contact SEED eating disorder support service on 01482 718130 or on their website, here.Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.