Eating disorders: 'I made the podcast I wish I could've listened to'

Molly wants to break down stereotypes around eating disorders

Eating disorders are both isolating and lonely - with many people wishing they had more of a community around them.

That's been the experience of Molly Smith who was diagnosed with anorexia at 14 years old.

Now 19, she hopes her podcast exploring disordered eating can break down stigmas and misconceptions.

And Molly says the series is something she wishes she'd had when she was younger.

"Since recovering, I've been so passionate about speaking openly on eating disorders because when I was poorly, I felt like nobody understood me," she tells BBC Newsbeat.

"There was no voice for me to really listen to. So I wanted to create a podcast to be that voice to people going through similar things."

'Not just about weight'

Molly feels she lacked a network of people she could relate to when she was unwell.

"Everything was either very serious or told by professionals and medical experts," she says.

"I really think if I could have listened to a podcast with someone really normal who's been through a similar thing, it would have helped me immensely."

Molly, who's from Ely in Cambridgeshire, also wants to challenge the idea that eating disorders are purely physical.

"People think they are entirely about weight, but with so many people weight loss is just a side effect of the eating disorder."

Rachael Bland co-hosted You, Me and the Big C with Lauren Mahon and Deborah James

Molly's series is called The Weigh Up: Eating Disorder Diaries and covers topics including binge eating and social media.

It also looks at the impact on families and friends - Molly doesn't want the podcast to just be for people with eating disorders.

"We've done episodes with my family members," she says.

"I think just to hear their perspectives was so eye-opening because anorexia, unfortunately, is a very selfish illness.

"And I just didn't even consider how my parents may be feeling that their daughter was so ill. So it was so insightful to hear how much upset I caused them."

• BBC Action Line: Help and support available here

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Molly's series was made after she won the Rachael Bland New Podcast Award, launched in 2019 in honour of the BBC presenter who died in 2018 from breast cancer.

Rachael co-hosted You, Me And The Big C - an award-winning podcast which was praised for tackling the subject of cancer in an original and candid way.

As a winner, University of York student Molly now gets the opportunity to develop her podcast idea with the BBC.

"Rachael's podcast was just incredible, I learnt so much from it," she says.

"I'm so inspired by the work of her and her co-presenters and I really hope my podcast reaches that same level of community."

Listen to The Weigh Up: Eating Disorder Diaries on BBC Sounds.

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