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Magda Szubanski reveals emotional response to swimsuit photos

Magda Szubanski has tearfully defended her right to wear whatever she likes at the beach on Andrew Denton’s new show Interview on Tuesday.

The 57-year-old actress slammed a series of women’s magazines for publishing images of her in swimwear at the beach in 2011.

The TV icon admitted she was sad when she first saw the photos, but quickly decided: “F**k them! I'm going to go down there with my fat body amongst all the models and just be fat on Bondi Beach.”

She added: “And they can go and get stuffed!

“You know, (they treat you) as if it's a crime to subject people to your fat body on the beach!”

Magda has spoken candidly about her weight and body image.

“I don't feel like a fat person - it was something that happened to me,” she began. “Because I wasn't fat as a kid and I was quite sporty and so (weight) feels like carrying a suit of armour or something.”

She spoke about the time she lost 40kg as ambassador for Jenny Craig, but said she didn't feel “great” like everyone said it would – instead, she felt “odd” and conflicted.

“It does become your second skin. It's something that you're very used to and when I lost all the weight on Jenny Craig, it was quite a weird feeling, actually,” she said.  

“People don't think that, they think 'oh, you lose weight and everything's going to be great.'

“And I don't mean to be a whinger about it but there was a candid photo I saw of me (after losing the weight) and I didn't recognise myself.”

Magda explained: “That is a really strange feeling, to look in the mirror and not see yourself, you know?”

“To not have this body felt odd.”

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News, body, interview, Magda Szubanski, Andrew Denton