The secrets behind Jac’s new-found body confidence

She once admitted to being addicted to reading cruel comments online about her figure – but Jacqueline Jossa has overcome her demons and is finally embracing her natural beauty

❛ I CAN’T LOOK PERFECT ALL THE TIME – AND I’VE ACCEPTED THAT ❜

She never imagined she’d have the courage to bare all for her own swimwear range, but Jacqueline Jossa oozed confidence as she posed for bikini snaps to promote her new collection with In The Style – telling followers she’s learned to accept her size 12 figure.

POSITIVITY

Giving a shout out to “all us women working on loving our bodies,” Jacqueline, 27, explained that “the perfect Instagram pics we see aren’t always the reality”, and said she’s “learned to love both angles”.

She added, “I’m a working mum and a size 12 and I can’t walk around looking perfect all the time – and I’ve accepted that that’s completely fine.”

Her body positivity messages have won the former EastEnders star a legion of new fans since being crowned queen of the I’m A Celeb jungle last year. In April, the straight-talking star proudly told her followers she loved her “thick legs and mum tum”.

But that hasn’t always been the case. In March, the mum-oftwo had admitted to suffering crippling insecurities in the past over her body image, to the point that she would search online for “fat” images of her EastEnders character Lauren Branning on a daily basis. She explained, “It was always negative, and I would just be obsessed with reading forums and negative things about me.”

Jacqueline said her insecurities only worsened after giving birth to her first baby, Ella, now five, in 2015. Speaking to Closer at the time, she said she’d “never really been confident with my body,” adding, “everyone has hang-ups. I’m obsessed with having extra boobs under my armpits.”

But ahead of the birth of her second daughter Mia, two, Jacqueline revealed that parenthood had made her less “self-absorbed”.

She explained, “I definitely took everything to heart before I had kids. I was more self-absorbed and worried constantly about what people thought of me.

Now I’m just not.”

NATURAL

Her impressive 2.9million Instagram followers are able to relate, often praising Jacqueline for showing off her “normal” figure. But her biggest confidence boost has seemingly come from her husband Dan Osborne, 29. In recent months, the pair have seemed more loved-up than ever, with smitten Dan lavishing attention on her, which no doubt makes her feel more secure.

After she was crowned Jungle Queen, Dan publicly vowed to “spend the rest of my life being the best husband and dad that I can be” after realising “I am the luckiest man in the world to have what I have with Jacqueline.”

And one marriage secret is that he has encouraged Jac’s body positivity by insisting he is a fan of her natural look. Last month she shared a before and after make-up photo on social media, and Dan – who married the actress in 2017 – commented that he preferred the make-upfree version, while he has littered her recent bikini snaps with love heart and fire emojis, showing her that he loves how she looks. In other recent photos that he’s posted of her to his 1.1m fans, he has called her “my stunning wife”, “beautiful”, and said,

“I’m so proud of you.” Jacqueline says the former TOWIE star compliments her every day.

She previously told Closer, “When we’re out, he says he can’t wait until we go home and I take my make-up off.”

Jacqueline’s new-found confidence couldn’t have come at a better time for the star. In June, Dan appeared to admit to letting down his wife after repeated reports he’d been unfaithful.

While he didn’t reveal which particular rumours, if any, were true, he said he took “full responsibility” after he was accused of cheating on Jacqueline with Love Island star Gabby Allen, kissing Alexandra Cane, and having a threesome with two of his Celebrity Big Brother housemates.

However, Dan said Jacqueline had “forgiven” him and that he now hopes for a fresh start with his wife – hinting that the pair may even try for another baby.

He said, “Jac looks amazing pregnant and it would be nice adding to the family.”

The couple are now looking forward to the future, and Jac is feeling happier and “braver” than ever.

She told her followers, “I am feeling grateful today, for my family, my friends and for my work. Since leaving the jungle, I have made my friendship group tighter, family connections stronger and just me as a person so much braver!”