Beverley Knight has revealed that at the height of her fame, music bosses had a meeting about her weight, when she was going through troubles at home.
The singer, 51, often hailed as the Queen of British Soul, has built a career spanning over three decades as a singer, songwriter, and musical theatre star.
Beverley released her debut album, The B-Funk, in 1995, establishing herself in the UK soul scene and going on to achieve multiple Top 40 hits, platinum-selling albums, and sold-out tours.
Later in life, she became a successful theatre star, starring in West End productions like The Bodyguard and Memphis.
But following the release a BBC documentary, called Girlbands Forever, many women expressed how cutthroat the music industry was through the 90s and 2000s.
And now Beverley has admitted to the Daily Mail that when she was going through woes in her personal life, and her figure changed, her bosses did not care about her mental health and only about her appearance.
Beverley Knight has revealed that at the height of her fame, music bosses had a meeting about her weight, when she was going through troubles at home
The singer, often hailed as the Queen of British Soul, has built a career spanning over three decades as a singer, songwriter, and musical theatre star (pictured 2022)
She told the Daily Mail: ‘I remember there was a meeting to discuss my weight, which was interesting. I was not a part of that meeting, but I was told about it!
‘It’s interesting, because I’m a healthy woman, and I was a healthy woman back then.
‘I was bigger because there was stuff going on, yet no one cared about the issues that were underlying – all they cared about was the aesthetic, and that’s the problem.
‘When we start to care solely about the aesthetic in people and not if the artist is ok, or their mental health is well, then we’ve got huge problems.’
Asked if bosses had secret plans to put her on a diet she said: ‘If they were, thankfully, I didn’t hear about it. I would have kicked up. I was not the kind of artist who would have swallowed that’.
Before adding: ‘We still live in a society where people are judged for being too thin, too fat or whatever it might be’
Beverley performed at the European Diversity Awards in the InterContinental London Park Lane.
Now happy, healthy and look decades younger than her 52-years, Beverly shared her secret: ‘Clean-living, wellness, happiness and a good man on my arm, I am teetotal – I’ve never drank alcohol’.
Beverley admitted that when she was going through woes in her personal life, and her figure changed, her bosses did not care about her mental health (pictured 2002)
‘I was bigger because there was stuff going on, yet no one cared about the issues that were underlying – all they cared about was the aesthetic, and that’s the problem’ (pictured 1999)
The songstress who was made an MBE in 2007 for her contribution to music and charity, revealed the late Queen Elizabeth’s words to her when she was presented with the honour at Buckingham Castle.
‘She told me that day: “You really love music, don’t you? Has it given you the opportunity to travel?” and I said: “Absolutely, it’s taken me around the world, it’s the joy of my life.” And then it was the very firm handshake which means off you go’.
But a devastated Beverly explained how the honour had burgled from her home back in 2021: ‘It’s life, sadly, but I hope I will get it back one day’.
Asked about her future in the theatre she said: ‘My dream role hasn’t been written yet. I want someone to write the stage version of Aretha Franklin’s life. I’d love to do that, I think it would be amazing! I never got to meet her, but that voice! She really was the Queen of Soul.
Girlbands Forever takes a look at the mistreatment of singers in bands such as All Saints, Little Mix and Atomic Kitten – in a female take on last year’s BBC hit Boybands Forever.
Now happy, healthy and look decades younger than her 52-years, Beverly shared her secret: ‘Clean-living, wellness, happiness and a good man on my arm, I am teetotal’ (pictured earlier this year)
Asked about her future in the theatre she said: ‘My dream role hasn’t been written yet. I want someone to write the stage version of Aretha Franklin’s life’ (Pictured in Sister Act)
Among the most harrowing revelations from the docuseries comes from All Saints’ Melanie Blatt, who was urged to have an abortion after becoming pregnant during the band’s heyday.
She revealed in 1998 that she was expecting her first child with former Jamiroquai bassist Stuart Zender, a year after All Saints topped charts internationally with their hit single, Never Ever.
By coincidence, fellow bandmate Nicole Appleton had also just found out she was pregnant with boyfriend Robbie Williams’s baby.
