I’m A Celebrity’s Paulini Curuenavuli reveals her body image struggles after ‘gold dress’ comments

I’m A Celebrity‘s Paulini Curuenavuli has revealed her body image struggles following those iconic ‘gold dress’ comments on Australian Idol in 2003.  

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, the 38-year-old revealed her unhealthy behaviours while touring with Young Divas. 

‘When touring with the Young Divas, I was hardly eating and working out like crazy,’ she said. ‘I may have been between a size eight and 10. I was so unhappy.’ 

Paulini explained she felt pressure to look thinner, have straight hair, and ‘fit into a mould’ of the Australian entertainment industry.   

‘It was always implied. Things you see on TV, everything around you says that you have to look a certain way and if you don’t look like that, then you are not quite right,’ she confessed. 

‘Now I finally realise that me being natural and me being who I am is the best thing ever.’ 

Paulini went on to admit she felt pressure to look ‘more European’ as ‘every black woman that I’d see had straight hair and was thin and had a nose job…’  

Australian Idol judge Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson made offensive comments about Paulini’s weight while she was on stage in 2003. 

He told the singer to much criticism: ‘You should choose more appropriate clothes or shed some pounds.’     

Speaking on I’m A Celebrity this week, Paulini also admitted she regretted her 2017 bribery scandal, which saw her try to unlawfully obtain a driver’s licence.   

She also opened up about being the victim of racial harassment at school. 

‘Primary school was such an awful time for me. Just racial kind of comments and racial calling… I would just get picked on every day,’ she said.