Princess Diana actor says she begged The Crown’s writers to include bulimia storyline

The Crown actor Emma Corrin begged the show’s writing team to include the princess’s struggle with bulimia.

The 24-year-old told the writers that it would have been a “disservice” to anyone with an eating disorder not to depict bulimia in an honest way.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Corrin said: ‘I felt that if we were trying to depict bulimia in an honest way, we had to actually show it – otherwise it’s a disservice to anyone who has been through that."

She continued:

I don’t think we should shy away from those conversations; Diana was very candid about her experience with bulimia and I so admire that.

Princess Diana publicly revealed her battle with bulimia in a 1995 interview with Martin Bashir. In the interview, she spoke candidly about her eating disorder, self-harming and her “crowded” marriage to Prince Charles.

At the time, the interview shocked the nation and was watched by 23m people.

Corrin, who is new to the show, has gone through a painstaking effort to portray the royal’s bulimia accurately.

She worked with the show’s movement coach to teach her to vomit realistically.

The producers of the show also worked closely with eating disorder charity, BEAT, to ensure that it was sensitively handled.

In fact, the portrayal is so on the nose that Netflix has had to issue a content warning.

At the start of three episodes, viewers will see a warning card display which gives details of how to seek help.