Diamond branded 'cheat' on 'Fit Club'

Anne Diamond has been branded a cheat for keeping a stomach operation secret from fellow Celebrity Fit Club dieters.

The TV presenter had a gastric lap band operation in September, according to BBC News Online. At the time, she weighed more than 14 stone, and hoped that the surgery would fix this. Lap bands limit food consumption and tighten around the upper part of the stomach to form a smaller gastric pouch.

Diamond was criticised for her secrecy by contestant Carole Malone, who said: "It is disingenuous. We were not all starting on a level playing field. I think it's a bit of cheat. You didn't own up to it. You were specifically asked if you had had surgery."

However, fellow contestant Russell Grant called her "desperate" and said he hoped the revelation would relax her. "I think ITV's decision to let her remain on board is a compassionate gesture to someone who so needs to fall back in love with herself," he added.

A show spokesman said: "The fact that she went to such lengths to tackle her weight problem is an indication of how serious this is for her."