Nadia Sawalha took a trip down memory lane this week - for a very important reason. The Loose Women star shared a black and white snapshot taken 20 years ago on Instagram, showing her on the beach with friend and co-star Kaye Adams.
MORE: Inside the lavish homes of the Loose Women panel
Watch: A Day In The Life Of Nadia Sawalha During Lockdown
The 55-year-old revealed that she had been sent the image by Carol McGiffin, who had told her: "Just had to send this to you two because it so perfectly sums up the old Nadia… look at the horror on your face because I was taking a photo of you!!!"
MORE: Loose Women star Jane Moore shares incredibly rare photo of youngest daughter
"And my god, she's right," Nadia admitted. "I can actually remember the moment @the_mcgiff took the photo. I almost wanted to cry because I thought I was so 'hideous' - a word I used all the time to describe myself back then... look at me trying to cover my body??
Nadia shared the throwback photo on Instagram
"It leaves me feeling so sad when I look back and think about how much of that holiday I wasted with 'stinking thinking' feeling 'ugly' comparing my figure constantly to @kayeadamsofficial and @the_mcgiff gorgeous bodies.
"What a bloody waste of time. What a sacrilege. It makes me so cross and if I'm honest leaves me a little ashamed that I was so unaware of the pointlessness of it all. FFS ... Grrrrrrrrrrrrr pointless pointless pointless!!!!
MORE: Nadia Sawalha reveals why she's 'in shock' over her daughter
"Thank god I now have consciousness... One day at a time I feel better. You can too you know? Tell the nasty voices to bog off!!!!! Swipe across to see what can happen when you do!!!"
The Loose Women star looked incredible in her final photo
Nadia completed her post with a final recent photo, showing her beaming for the camera while posing in her underwear.
Her inspiring message really resonated with fans. "Perfect then and still perfect now. Except your more stunning now because you're confident.... or as you like to say 'fake it till you make it'!" one told Nadia.
MORE: Penny Lancaster reveals jaw-dropping garden at £4.65million Essex home
Nadia, Kaye and Carol have been good friends for many years
"You look amazing then & now. In fact you look the same, I don't think you've aged a bit!!" a second commented. "You have a gorgeous figure, it's really sad that we don't believe these things about ourselves when so many around us can see it quite clearly! I hope you believe it now because it's true! You are also extra special because you're lovely inside and out."
A third confided: "Thank you! I've done the same to myself for nearly all of my life and now at 42 and my heaviest I can stand to look at myself and like what I see xx."
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
