EastEnders star Clair Norris on tackling obesity for Panorama

Clair Norris is on a new mission. The actress who has played Bernadette 'Bernie' Taylor in EastEnders for over five years is appearing on BBC1's flagship news show Panorama: Obesity: Who Cares if I’m Bigger? on Wednesday April 20 2022 to investigate what is being done to tackle Britain's major obesity crisis. 

Eighteen months after Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched his strategy to help the nation lose weight, EastEnders actress Clair, who is overweight herself, wants to know if it is really working. One in four adults in the UK are currently living with obesity, a health risk particularly highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

For her Panorama investigation, Clair meets teenagers on a weight management scheme in Sheffield, then goes to visit a man-versus-fat football team in Norfolk. She also meets a dancer running classes for plus-size women. 

The further Clair delves into the complex reasons why some people find it difficult to lose weight she asks if you can be overweight and stay healthy.

Clair admits she's been on a 'journey' herself while filming the documentary over four months and promised she will share experiences she has until now 'kept to herself'. "This has been a chance to show ME!" she says No character and no acting. I have been on a journey, meeting new people, going back to my childhood and sharing my own personal experiences which most of the time I have kept to myself."

Clair has had to deal with some negative comments on social media in the past. On an Instagram post she said: "Don't normally react, but I have seen some really nasty comments on pictures from soap awards regarding my size… I could get upset but when I put it into perspective I just laugh."

Clair recently spoke on BBC1's Morning Show about why she wanted to take part in the documentary (also see on Twitter clip below).

"I was approached by Panorama in November, and it came off the back off the diet pill story I was doing in EastEnders," she explained. "I found it really interesting and it was a chance for me to be me, no acting, no characters, I wanted to know what help there is for young people. I go on a journey to see what I’ve learnt and hopefully people can learn from it too."

* Clair Norris and her important obesity investigation can be seen on Panorama: Obesity: Who Cares if I’m Bigger? on BBC1 on Wednesday April 20 at 8.30pm.