TV Star Turns to Jenny Craig for Help

Media Release

22 January 2008

Larger than life TV Star Turns to Jenny Craig for Help

Australian comedian Magda Szubanski, who plays the lovable and larger than life character Sharon on the hit TV series Kath & Kim, has turned to Jenny Craig to lose the weight that has troubled her throughout her life.

Magda is to become New Zealand's Jenny Craig Ambassador with a commitment to lose 25 kilos on the Jenny Craig Program.

In a bid to beat the 'Eating Monster' that has plagued her since she was 14 years of age, Magda has joined with Jenny Craig after admitting to herself that she needed professional and scientific help to lose her unwanted kilos.

"To be honest I was really scared before I began, you know this is a big thing for me, I have been overweight for a very long time," Magda says.

"I needed someone to just talk me through and teach me how to eat. It wasn't enough to just to be provided with the food, because I wasn't going to learn from that."

Managing Director of Jenny Craig Australia and New Zealand, Amy Smith, says that partnering with Magda to help her achieve her goal is an honour for the company.

"The Jenny Craig Program is designed for real people. Over the years, Magda has captured the hearts of people all over the world as they identify with her both as a person and through her many iconic characters. People believe in her and know that if she can lose weight, so can they."

Magda finally realised that she couldn't do it alone when she was diagnosed with sleep apnoea, a condition where airflow from the nose and the mouth, into the lungs, is restricted during sleep. It happens when the upper airway is intermittently blocked by the tissues at the back of the throat and is commonly caused by being overweight.

She says it was Jenny Craig's commitment to providing the long term skills for a healthy diet and lifestyle - not just a quick fix diet or 'food drop' - that gave her confidence to embark on the challenge.

"The Jenny Craig Program is backed by a Medical Advisory Board, as well as a team of Accredited Practicing Dieticians and Nutritionists. I have individual support through my personal consultant and a network of like-minded people so I don't feel alone on my journey," she says.

"You feel desperate. Your weight is going up and up and you know you are slowly killing yourself. That's when I say 'go and get some help'. And even for people who are not at that point, don't let it get that far," she says.

And despite her weight often defining the comedy characters she plays, in reality being overweight drove Magda to tears of frustration and despair.

Magda's partnership with Jenny Craig will see her appear in Jenny Craig advertising and promotions. She says that she has a number of things on her 'to do' list once she hits her target weight.

"I want to be able to wear some nice clothes instead of over shaped, oversized, badly cut, synthetic, fat lady clothes."

- Ends -

Notes to Editors:

- Jenny Craig gives you SkillPower, which equips you with the skills, strategies and knowledge to manage your weight for life

- Sharon, played by Magda, is Kim's unlucky, sports obsessed second best friend on the hit TV series Kath & Kim that has been a success with audiences worldwide.

- A snapshot of Magda's best-known comic characters: Pixelated sports' reporter Pixie-Anne Wheatley, Bogan couple Michele and Ferret from the popular skit TV show Fast Forward, Mrs Esme Hogget Farmers wife in the 1995 movie Babe and as the lovable Sharon Strezlecki in Kath & Kim.

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