Piers Morgan reignites feud with model Tess Holliday over plus size magazine cover

Piers Morgan has reignited an obesity row with Tess Holliday after the magazine cover she appeared on last year received an award nomination.

Last October, the plus-size model appeared on Cosmopolitan’s cover, sparking a debate about whether the publication was promoting a healthy body image.

Following the cover’s award nomination for Cover of the Year at the PPA awards Tess tweeted Piers to let him know the news.

“Hey @piersmorgan, since you were such a fan of my @CosmopolitanUK cover, wanted to let you know it’s nominated for cover of the year,” she wrote last week.

Though Piers didn’t respond on Twitter the divisive topic was debated on ‘Good Morning Britain’ earlier today.

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Co-host Susanna Reid posed the question to panellists Dr Miriam Stoppard and plus size blogger Jess Millichamp about whether celebrating obesity was dangerous or whether it was just celebrating diversity.

“To put it in context, she’s 110 lbs heavier than me, she’s 11 inches smaller,” Piers responded.

“And that is a body positive image to be celebrated and winning awards?”

Susanna responded by saying she didn’t think it was about promoting her size, but accepting that some people are that size.

Jess Millichamp said she thought it was important that women of all sizes are represented in the media.

“If Tess Holliday goes to a doctor, he doesn’t celebrate her 300lb size, he says to her you’re morbidly obese and you’re going to die if you don’t do something about your weight,” the television host continued.

“That’s the reality check behind this ridiculous celebration of someone who’s morbidly obese.”

Dr Miriam Stoppard, who also appeared on Monday’s show, agreed. “Normalising, glamorising obesity is dangerous because fat is not normal, fat is dangerous,” she said.

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Susanna pointed out that there are plenty of models who are skinny, to which Piers responded: “I’m not discriminating against fat people or very skinny people. To me, if you’re unhealthy as a body, either painfully thin or painfully fat, you should not be celebrated and people that put you on covers to sell magazines should not be winning awards.”

Jess said it wasn’t about health, but about recognising that there is more than one body type.

But Dr Stoppard said that you can’t separate obesity from health. She went on to warn that people who are obese can suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Susanna asked Jess if she thought it was body shaming to which she responded that it was and that it was about accepting different body shapes.

That didn’t deter the outspoken host, however, and he continued his rant: "Acceptance of what? Why should we accept anybody for being morbidly obese? I'd rather try and save her life."

“It will kill her. Unfortunately, you need someone to look her in the eye and say this is not healthy.”

Following the debate, people took to Twitter to continue the discussion.

Some people agreed with Piers that obesity shouldn’t be celebrated.

But others thought all body shapes should be represented in the media.