Emily Atack has opened up about the reason behind her weight loss. The Rivals star, 36, suffered from sepsis after giving birth to her son, Barney, in 2024.
In a new interview, the actress opened up about her difficult pregnancy, sharing that she "couldn't leave the house for weeks" after contracting the condition.
"I was trolled for being enormous even when I was pregnant and I'm now trolled for having lost weight," Emily told Grazia. "My body holds all my trauma as well as my happiness and joy.
"I went through a very difficult pregnancy," continued the Nobody's Fool host. "I was very ill after the birth. I had sepsis, I couldn't leave the house for weeks. It was awful."
According to the NHS, sepsis is a "serious reaction to an infection that can be life-threatening". The condition develops "very quickly and needs urgent treatment in hospital.
Emily, who has faced claims from fans that she used weight loss jabs, added: "So I'm just asking people for a little bit of patience and understanding at such a complex thing. Women's bodies change all the time. I am so done with defending it."
The former Inbetweeners star went on to confirm that she is now in good health and looking forward to her upcoming nuptials with her fiancé, scientist Dr Alistair Garner, which will take place abroad in September.
Emily's upcoming nuptials
Speaking to Best Quality Designer Handbag ahead of the release of Rivals season two, Emily revealed that her co-stars are on the guest list, with her "telly hubby", Rufus Jones, to give a reading.
"It's going to be lovely. I've really enjoyed planning it," said Emily, who plays the vivacious Sarah Stratton, the unfaithful wife of the MP Paul Stratton, in the acclaimed Disney+ adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper's 'bonkbuster'. "It's going to be three days of joy with all my favourite people; it's going to be chaos," she said.
This summer also marks the second birthday of her son Barney. On whether she's planning on expanding their family, Emily revealed: "I'm so obsessed with Barney, I cannot imagine being obsessed with another baby at this stage. We don't have any plans to have more, but who knows?"
The actress added: "I love babies, but I'm focusing on my little Barney for now, because he's a handful and he's keeping me on my toes."
Opening up about life as a new mum, Emily shared: "Our lives go at a million miles an hour. It's stressful and crazy, but it's blissful. I'm so lucky."









