Ulrika Jonsson slams 'nasty' comments by people 'offended by ageing face'
The TV star hit back at "nasty" comments related to her "ageing face".
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The former weather presenter, 57, defended her appearance after "nasty" comments surfaced online following her interview with Spencer Matthews on his podcast Untapped.
In the episode, she spoke about her past issues with alcohol.
On Sunday, she wrote on Instagram that she doesn't normally get "nasty" comments on social media but received "a considerable amount about my tanned appearance. AND how OLD I look."
Ms Jonsson did clarify that she also received lots of positive responses to what she said on the show.
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She continued: "I understand that an over-tanned, imperfect and AGEING face offends you. But try to listen to the words rather than constantly judge women's appearance. You might learn something."
Ms Jonsson said her make-up-free appearance was partly due to her struggle with eczema.
"But as someone who has had to wear heavy make-up on screen from 5am for years, I'm not a fan.
"Most crucially though, since childhood I've suffered from eczema. On my body - the creases of my arms and legs - on my face - eyes and lips. Make-up has always been the enemy because it's been agony to wear."
She told followers she would "never look like the fresh 21-year-old that used to greet you first thing in the morning by the weather board".
Ms Jonsson said she was "not ashamed to say that I am a sun worshipper and will no doubt pay the price for that".
She added that ultraviolet lamps, salt baths, astringent skin solutions and creams had been "a feature of my life since I was a small child".
"I have uneven pigmentation doubtlessly not helped by ageing. I sometimes use filters in my pics because it's easier than foundation and less painful.
"I work tirelessly in my garden year round and often in the sun. I rarely sunbathe any more. Haven't had a sunbed for 6 months - which I do occasionally in winter months. Not ashamed.
"I have not had a holiday - of any kind - since 2018. That's 7 yrs.
"So, I understand that an over-tanned, imperfect and AGEING face offends you. But try to listen to the words rather than constantly judge women's appearance.
"She added: "And making people feel [bad] doesn't make you a hero."
The Swedish-born presenter appeared on the former Made in Chelsea star's podcast after writing a recent article opening up about being an alcoholic and being sober for just over a year.
She said she drank when grappling with "punishing anxiety" and other personal issues.
The TV star said she used to believe she didn't have any alcohol-related problem but then found herself "drinking [...] earlier in the day, and I found myself kneeling into the cupboard under the stairs where I kept my rum and just necking the rum from the bottle".
Ms Jonsson says she quit with the help of a support group and by regularly attending meetings, which she said was a "miraculous" change.
"I never, ever in a million years thought that I would be capable of making a big shift and a big change - not just dropping the alcohol, but [in] mindset and approach to life."
She continued: "My mindset, my approach, has just completely changed. At nearly 58, I just didn't even think that that would be possible.
"I thought I wasn't very good at life, I wasn't cut out for it, and I was just a pretty rubbish-to-average person. And then this whole world kind of opened up to me."
She also opened up about assuming she would die early after her father suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage at 53.
"I did sort of think I would be dead by now - not from the drinking, but because my dad died young, I just had it in my head that I'd also have a brain haemorrhage really early, and I'd be gone, and so old age wasn't really something I needed to worry about.
"But here I am, and now sort of wanting to catch up on the years of negative thinking that I lost."
