In a heart-wrenching revelation, Tom Daley shares the devastating impact of being told to slim down by sports officials, which triggered his struggles with disordered eating.
Earlier this year in March, the 31-year-old Olympic diving champion first disclosed his battles with “all kinds of different issues around body dysmorphia and bulimia” throughout his competitive career.
Now, in his latest documentary, he delves deeper into this painful chapter. Speaking in Tom Daley 1.6 Seconds, he says: “At the end of 2011 I was told that I would have to lose weight by our performance director at British diving, and that I was overweight and that I needed to look slimmer, leaner and more like I did in 2008. It was the first time where I felt that I was being looked at and judged not for how I did in the diving pool, but for how I looked. I took then some quite drastic measures to make sure that the food did not stay in my stomach, let’s put it that way.
“A rational person would know that I wasn’t fat, but that was all that I could think about in the build up to the Olympic Games. I had a diary that I would write in, and at the top of it, I’d write the date and my weight. I was kind of left on my own devices, and kind of left with that struggle by myself, because even when I was having these meetings with my sports psychologist, I didn’t know how to bring that out, because every time I said it out loud, I knew it felt silly, but in my head, it was the biggest thing that I would always think about every day, every time I made a decision about what I was going to eat, if I was going to eat it and then get myself so hungry that I would end up eating so much and binging to the point where I was then so guilty that I then had to do something about that.”
The diving star reveals how he struggled to confide in anyone about his inner turmoil, a pattern that marked his early career when isolation often overwhelmed him.
He adds: “I still feel like ashamed talking about it now, because, like, once you’re on the other side of it, it seems so easy just to stop and ask for help, but when you’re in it, you feel like you can’t be helped.”
“I felt so alone because there was this perception that guys just didn’t deal with these kinds of issues,” Tom reflects. “Mental health struggles and eating disorders were seen as things that didn’t affect men – we were supposed to be these tough, macho figures who could handle anything life threw at us. I felt completely isolated, with no one to turn to. That sense of loneliness while dealing with these challenges was overwhelming.”
Sophie Lee, who has been Tom’s close friend through his journey, speaks about the deeper implications of his struggles during the intense period leading up to London 2012. “The eating disorder was really just scratching the surface,” she explains. “It was a manifestation of the immense pressure and anxiety he was experiencing as the Olympics approached.”
Tom’s illustrious diving career culminated in five Olympic medals, cementing his place as Britain’s most decorated diver. His Olympic journey began at just 14 in Beijing 2008, and his final appearance came in Paris last year, where he clinched silver while his sons Robbie and Phoenix watched proudly from the stands.
The 2012 London Olympics proved particularly poignant – despite facing criticism about his weight from British diving officials, Tom persevered to win bronze.
Now retired from competitive diving, Tom spends his days with husband Dustin Lance Black and their sons Robbie and Phoenix, embracing family life.
Reflecting on his career in the documentary, Tom shares: “Diving has been my entire world. I’ve dedicated my life to perfecting those crucial 1.6 seconds. It’s mind-blowing to think I spent four years training for something that lasts less than 10 seconds total, but I wouldn’t change a single moment.”
“These 23 years have been beyond incredible,” he continues. “I’ve met extraordinary people and visited amazing places. Sure, there were incredibly tough times when I wanted to give up, but I pushed through.”
“What excites me most now is sharing this legacy with Robbie and Phoenix,” Tom adds. “Having this memory to show them throughout their lives, knowing they were part of my journey – that’s special. I’m fortunate to now have people I can truly open up to about anything.”
“But that openness came from learning to let my guard down,” he acknowledges. “For the longest time, I kept everyone at arm’s length.”
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