Former My Kitchen Rules star Jordan Bruno has opened up about his weight gain, posing in his underwear in a body-positive message to his fans.
Bruno, who appeared on the hit Seven reality show with his mum Anna, recently told his 70,000 Instagram followers about his pressure to look slim online.
He shared mirror selfies wearing only his underwear to “normalize bodies changing during COVID”.
Speaking to PerthNow, he said he often felt judged for how he looked.
Camera IconJordan Bruno wants to ‘normalise bodies changing during COVID’. Credit: Instagram
“Throughout COVID, I’ve just put on a few extra kilos, and I just wanted to be honest and transparent about this [the weight gain] as well because Instagram could sometimes be a highlight reel,” he said.
“So I wanted to bring a little bit of realism to the fact that it’s OK to put on weight; it happens . . . I was a bit worried about how people would take it, and I’ve not showcased that side of me before, but I did feel it was quite freeing to do it.”
The former reality star pointed out men were often embarrassed to open up about their body hang-ups, but it was important to show not everyone looks as polished as they do on their social media pics.
“I’ve been sharing more of my Instagram because I feel like I’m hiding a real part of me instead of just choosing the images that look sexy. I’m just putting out what I love in terms of a memory, which is nice,” he said.
Camera IconJordan Bruno and his mum Anna Bruno will cook at the new Manjimup Truffle and Wine Festival. Credit: Andrew Ritchie/The West Australian
“So it’s liberating, but we need to be less harsh on ourselves about how we look because honestly, I mean, especially in the queer community, it’s focused on how you look and present, and there are a lot of mental health problems that stem from that.”
With the new season of MKR set to air later this year, Jordan’s advice for contestants in the new season is to be prepared for the unexpected.
“It’s six months of your life that it takes to film the show, so it’s not short and sweet, and it’s going to test your relationship with your partner,” he said.
“I was so lucky to be with my beautiful mum, but honestly, it pushed us and our communication skills . . . So whoever you’re going on the show with, make sure you are 100 percent committed and love them.”
Fans of Anna and Jordan will get an opportunity to cook with the duo during this weekend’s Manjimup Truffle and Wine Festival.
The duo will host a truffle and pasta masterclass at the historic Dingup House on June 25.
The mother-and-son culinary team will guide participants on creatiin homemade pasta, truffle fettuccine, and truffle ravioli from scratch.
