Jordan Banjo put on seven stone in weight after being racially bullied at school.
The Diversity star, 29, fell victim to vicious tormentors when he was a teenager and mocked for being mixed raced.
As a result, Jordan began comfort eating in a bid to block out the pain.
Jordan’s brother and fellow Diversity star Ashley previously told OK!: “He had it pretty tough for a long time and that had a very negative effect on him.”
The brothers’ mum Danielle also revealed that Jordan put on seven stone in weight at senior school.
“From 12 to 16 he put the weight on, he was the only mixed kid in school and got bullied, so he would comfort eat,” she added to The Mirror.
“It was psychological bullying, name-calling, horrible stuff.
“He made friends with Denise the dinner lady and would have three meals at lunch. It became habit. It was a horrible time.”
What prompted Jordan Banjo to lose weight?
Jordan went on to have the last laugh, rocketing to fame with Ashley and their street dance troupe Diversity.
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The group was formed in 2007, when Jordan was 14, and in 2009 they won Britain’s Got Talent.
Ashley credited their TV triumph for helping his brother find his confidence and get shape.
“After we won’t Britain’s Got Talent he decided to get fit and it really changed him as a person,” he also said.
This weekend (May 22), Jordan will appear on Tipping Point: Lucky Stars in a bid to win £20,000 for charity.
Not only is he now engaged to fiancée Naomi Courts, winning BGT has opened huge doors for the dad-of-two.
In 2016, he took part in I’m A Celebrity and finished in ninth place.
Jordan has since gone to to co-host the BBC’s The Greatest Dancer with Alesha Dixon and he land a huge radio gig.
Together with his Diversity co-star Perri Kiely, he presents KISS FM’s Breakfast Show.
He also appeared on prime-time show The Masked Dancer as Viper in 2021.
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And just last week, Jordan made his debut on BBC One’s Eat Well For Less.
The star has taken over co-hosting the money-saving show with Chris Bavin after Gregg Wallace bowed out.
- Tipping Point: Lucky Stars, 7pm , ITV, Sunday May 22, 2022
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