Sophie Kasaei 'Get Thin' interview: 'I hide my insecurities'

Sophie Kasaei is known to reality TV fans as the party animal from Geordie Shore with a passion for booze and boys.

However, behind her party-girl exterior, Sophie has revealed to Digital Spy that she is a bundle of insecurities. Sophie has filmed a documentary for MTV about her plans for liposuction and her investigation into weight-loss procedures and celebrities who have struggled with their size.

We caught up with Sophie to get the lowdown on the one-off dramatic documentary Get Thin or Die Tryin':

Are you pleased with the final results of your documentary?
"I'm actually overwhelmed. I've just seen the preview now and it is actually amazing. It's got everything. It's got me being funny, it's got emotion, it's got things that will shock people. Basically, what it's about is that, me, I have had problems with weight for years. I think about my weight every single day. I can't be the only person out there who feels like this, whether you're on telly or not and are just Tom, Dick or Harry. People do have weight issues."

Why did you want to do this show?
"I wanted to do a show about people going through all the weight loss procedures, whether it's surgery, diet pills, celebrity diets. It's me going on a journey finding out what other people have gone through and deciding what I want to go through. There are the downsides of cosmetic surgery, extreme cases, a woman who nearly died from it. Then we also meet Chanelle Hayes, who loved liposuction and loves the way she is. We've got a variety."

People think of you as a party girl. Is that not really you?
"I am a confident girl and really, really bubbly, but deep down we all have insecurities. I hide behind that confidence. What you see on screen is me, don't get me wrong, but when I feel horrible and fat, I'd rather keep it to myself than tell anybody. Now I'm on the telly, I'm known as this bubbly girl and that's my character. It's sad I hide these insecurities... but that's what girls do."

Do you end up getting liposuction?
"You'll see in the end what my conclusion to liposuction is. I meet lots of people, some say it's good, some say it's bad. My friends and family give me advice, but you'll have to wait to see what my decision was. To be fair, recently I've lost a bit of weight. When we are filming Geordie Shore we are out filming, partying and eating rubbish. It's straight after that when you look at yourself and think, 'What am I going to do with this?' and you start considering your options."

Watch a preview of Get Thin or Die Tryin:


Has being on TV made you more unhappy?
"Media attention does affect you. When you see yourself in a magazine or on telly, or if you get abuse on something like Twitter, your opinion is escalated and you hate yourself even more."

How long have you been interested in liposuction?
"I've always wanted liposuction, but I've never known the risks or what it entails. In the show you see me watching someone having the procedure done. I'm there and I'm watching someone with this tube inside them getting all this fat sucked out. I'm standing there thinking what the hell people go through. But then when I speak to celebrities who have had it done, then I see the positive side to it as well."

The public often think celebrities milk weight concerns for keep-fit DVDs and magazine interviews. Do you think that's fair?
"Everyone, whether you are famous or if they're in a call centre doing 9 to 5, we all think about our weight. It's all about personal appearance in society today. If you are gorgeous and pretty, people love you for being that. All celebrities that I've met are worried about their weight. And every time you pick up a magazine and see a celebrity... everyone is airbrushed. Everybody. I've been airbrushed. I've done shoots for Geordie Shore and I know that's not me. People get the wrong idea about what everyone else looks like."

Has the extra male attention of celebrity not boosted your confidence?
"The thing with me is that I'm one of the lads. I don't think of guys in a sexual way straight off. But lately, I've dyed my hair and lost a bit of weight and I've posted pictures on Twitter. It's got a bit of reaction, but I don't know how to respond to that. I'm not used to that. I'm like, 'Woah lads, steady on'. I want to go on all these dates and get all the free food!"

Does the show touch on men with body issues?
"You do meet Gary from Geordie Shore. Because the guys are always talking about their weight and their abs. It's not just girls who have issues, it's about boys as well. It's actually a guy I see having surgery at one point in the show."

Have you ever been guilty of judging guys on their weight?
"Nah, I don't. I know how it feels, so I would never do that. Whether it's a boy or a girl as a friend. I wouldn't ever not speak to someone because they're a bit fat. I know how that feels. I'm learning to love the skin I'm in."

Get Thin or Die Tryin' airs tonight (January 10) at 9pm on MTV