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You'll often see, hear or read about things Vicki is involved with in the national or local press, radio or even tv. The following is a list of times when Vicki Swinden or Fat Is The New Black has featured in the news. Vicki continues to work regularly for the BBC in local, regional and national radio shows. You will hear her at least once a week commenting on the great obesity debate, discussing Fattitude and more. A great broadcaster with a lively sense of humour she talks on many subjects besides obesity commenting recently on infidelity. Vicki writes for several publications including Just As Beautiful magazine. She has been asked to take part in many of the current reality TV shows but as yet has not sallied forth - although she's always delighted to be asked! Note from Vicki 26 April 2007 This is turning out to be one helluva week! In the last couple of days the Bannatyne Battle has commenced - Radio 4, Radio 5, The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, The Observer, GMTV, Radio Sheffield, Radio Wales.....and it continues. To bring you up to speed Duncan Bannatyne has suggested he would not employ fat people - he insists that his words have been taken out of context - but in the interviews in which we have both taken part he has continued to use the words "thin, fit and looking good" in the same sentence, proving, I feel, his innate belief that if we are fat, we don't LOOK good and therefore are not fit and therefore are not as employable - without even being given a chance to prove ourselves in the job for which we have applied. I am not a fool and neither are you............................I don't suggest that we go about applying for jobs we cannot do....................we must make our own judgement on that.............BUT if we feel able to undertake the tasks involved in the job WE MUST NOT BE PREJUDGED ON OUR SIZE - on our "look". There is no scientific evidence to suggest that we are less able, more lazy, or that we spend our days "drinking beer, smoking fags and eating pies" as Bannatyne is alleged to have said. Whether the words were taken out of context or not - I suggest those words must have been used and this is a pre-judgement of all fat people which I find wholly unacceptable. He insists that he employs fat people and his organisation helps them to adopt a healthy lifestyle. He insists that he wishes to "help fat people" - I have told him(on GMTV yesterday) that I am more than happy to work with him and his organisation to bring them up to speed on how to do this - he tells me I am "hired" - but I am still sceptical - is he simply trying to mitigate any potential damage he may have incurred against his organisation in the first place? (we all remember what happened to Gerald Ratners jewellery business in 1991 when he announced that his product was crap). Has Duncan Bannatyne made a "Ratneresque" comment? Will his pre judgement affect his decisions in that Dragons Den? But in spite of all that - I am willing to work with anyone who feels their deep seated prejudice may affect their decisions.........there would be no point in me ranting and raving about the problems and prejudice we face without providing a feasible solution. I will wait to hear from Bannatyne or his representatives...............and indeed from anyone else........ April 2007 Something of a row is breaking out over comments made recently by the Dragons Den entrepeneur Duncan Bannatyne - apparantly he too subscribes to the notion that fat people won't work as hard as thin people. The story broke in The Observer over this weekend. Of course, we don't agree with him. Of course, my phone is ringing off the hook with journalists wanting to cover this story and pick up our take on it. Personally I am most surprised by the owner of a chain of gymnasiums making these kind of comments - one does then have the impression that he is not going to support fat people working out in his gym's which rather cuts down his market place when you consider that there are apparantly 40% of the adult population trying to find ways of dealing with their obesity. I know that many of the journalists talking to me today are keen to get Duncan and I in a room together to discuss the whole subject..........................watch this space! February 2007 My list of appearances is now really too long to include here - suffice to say that Radio 5 Live still keep me up late at night, Radios Leeds and Manchester still phone me very early in the mornings and the Asian Network still keep me on air for 45 minutes at a time. I LOVE IT!!!! Magazines and newspapers all over the country have featured Vicki and Fattitude many times over the last few months. Voice overs for museum pieces and writing articles all keep me jolly busy too! September 2006 Here is my admission, moving house, moving offices, organising children, going on holiday...............all my excuses for not keeping my list up to date - so here's a catch up..... Last week: 5 interviews in one day! Radio 2 with Jeremy Vine, Radio Manchester, twice in one day, Radio York, Coventry and West Midlands Radio - a busy day indeed in response to the news that IVF is not going to be available to the obese. Over the last few months: BBC News 24 Radio 5 Live - at least 4 occasions Radio Manchester - at least 4 occasions Radio York - half a dozen times BBC World Service Love It Magazine Odd places I have been when a radio interview has taken place: In the car - parked in a car park obviously! Even I can't concentrate on this arguement whilst driving! In the car - on a campsite whilst on holiday In my mother's bedroom Several different studio's -depending on where they can fit me in on the day
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40+ (ok, ok, it's 44!!!!) year old mother of 3 gorgeous children. The Great White Western Woman! A woman of substance; loads of substance! Loves the taste of life and feasts regularly. Singer of some little repute, adventurer and righter of wrongs. Yes but what is she really like?? She's just like you, trying to make enough money to get what she wants, running the kids back and forth for kids clubs, helping out at Rainbows and Brownies, doing kitchen duty at the Rugby Club, waiting for her partner to come in from work to cook something decent, burning everything she cooks cos she forgets it's on the hob, working, joining in on committees, helping out with homework, changing beds, doing the washing, wondering if the qualifications she never got at school will hold her back, shopping, cooking, cleaning, going to the pub with the girls, waiting for the *@**? kitchen fitters............it's just life isn't it?? 