Emily Atack has responded to fans who accused her of using so-called “skinny jabs” to lose weight, after sharing a series of festive photographs on social media.
The 36-year-old actress posted an Instagram carousel on Wednesday showing herself enjoying the Christmas season with friends and family, sparking intense discussion among followers.
Several of the images showed the Inbetweeners star looking noticeably slimmer than in previous years, prompting speculation online and a wave of critical comments.
Captioning the post, Ms Atack wrote: “Christmas- a small selection of some fave outfits and beautifully busy tables that give me heartburn just looking at them.”
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Emily Atack shared a series of festive holiday snaps
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Ms Atack has long spoken publicly about body image, having previously described the intense scrutiny she faced after being cast as Charlotte Hinchcliffe, the “fit girl”, in The Inbetweeners aged just 17.
She has said the conflicting labels applied to her by the media, being branded both a “sex symbol” and “overweight”, left her confused and insecure about her appearance.
The actress has also criticised what she has described as a “toxic” culture within the acting industry, recalling auditions where she was asked whether she would be willing to “go to the gym” to fit a role.
Following the birth of her son Barney in 2024, Ms Atack was vocal about rejecting “snap-back” culture and the pressure on women to rapidly lose post-pregnancy weight.
The fresh batch of photos showed Ms Atack looking very slim
|In January 2026, she directly addressed speculation about weight-loss injections, insisting she had focused on her health and wellbeing but had never used extreme dieting methods or “jabs”.
Despite this, her latest photos prompted renewed accusations, with some commenters questioning whether she had changed her stance on body positivity.
“Before the skinny jabs all these ‘celebs’ made out they loved being plus size and championed it. Now they can stick a needle in to lose weight they’ve soon changed their tune,” one follower wrote.
Another commented: “I think it’s such a shame all these celebs are going so thin, very sad and not good role models for young aspiring girls anymore.”
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One user added: “Don’t lose weight, you’re better with a few pounds more on you,” while another asked: “Please, not another Ozempic celebrity. Why?”
However, many fans rushed to defend the actress, pointing out the double standards women face in the public eye.
“If she was slightly overweight after having her baby she got called out for being fat, now she’s too skinny. Women cannot win,” one supporter wrote.
Another added: “All these comments saying she must be on the skinny jabs. Christ, let the beautiful woman do what she likes.”
Ms Atack appeared unfazed by the backlash, opting instead to engage with followers asking about her outfits by sharing shopping links for individual items.
While the actress has not publicly addressed the latest criticism, she has previously spoken openly about online abuse, much of which she has said centres on unwanted sexual attention or scrutiny of her personal lifestyle choices.
In 2023, after sharing what she described as a “cheeky” photo caption, the actress was criticised by a social media troll who claimed she had “asked for” sexual harassment because of the way she presents herself.
Ms Atack hit back publicly, making clear that the abuse occurred regardless of her captions or clothing, and stressing that responsibility lies with the perpetrators, not the women they target.
The Inbetweeners cast
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While the actress appears not to have opted for the skinny jabs, such as Ozempic, many UK celebrities have been open about their journey with the medication.
Sharon Osbourne has been vocal about using Ozempic, but has also expressed regret over how much weight she lost, previously saying she has struggled to put weight back on.
Gemma Collins has described the injections Mounjaro as “life-changing”, crediting them with helping her lose a significant amount of weight after years of difficulty with dieting.
Stephen Fry has also revealed he tried Ozempic “years ago” while in the US, but stopped taking it after experiencing severe side effects, including vomiting multiple times a day.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Clarkson has spoken about using Mounjaro, saying he lost around three stone but encountered unexpected side effects, including concerns about mental sharpness and libido.
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