Strictly star Katie Piper pens moving letter to vile trolls after online abuse

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Katie Piper has hit back a trolls in a lengthy statement after receiving horrid abuse online yesterday.

The 37-year-old writer, activist, model and TV presenter appeared on Sky News in the morning to discuss her newly released self-help book A Little Bit of Faith.

Sky News tweeted a portion of the interview and a number of hateful comments were left.

One Twitter user, who Katie later publicly outed on her Instagram page, said: “(Katie Piper who she?) With lips full of botox and a designer face drawn by surgeons, on the advertising platform called @SkyNews promoting a publication about people needing to be honest with themselves. Couldn’t make it up, could you.”

Katie replied, explaining that she underwent surgery following a gruesome acid attack at the hands of her ex-boyfriend and an accomplice in 2008. She also runs a charity, the Katie Piper Foundation, for victims of burns and scars.

Understandably upset and angered by the comments, Katie took to Instagram to pen a poignant letter “to those who feel like it’s ok to act like this online”.

The emotional statement explained that after the attack, when she eventually built up the courage to leave her house, men used to shout insults like those seen on Twitter today.

She explained: “When someone writes something so awful and offensive about someone who is burnt or disfigured like me in the public eye, it makes those with visible differences at home not want to leave the house.

“You should always learn someone’s story and you should never judge someone without knowing what they’ve been through. You shouldn’t judge them regardless, no matter what they look like.

“I spend my days via my charity The Katie Piper Foundation seeing how much mental and psychological support it takes after a burns injury, or a disfigurement. My doctors, nurses, specialists and volunteers spend many years helping our patients to prepare for the “real world”.

“The sad reality is, this is the real world we live in.”

She went on to discuss how this negative attention is more often than not directed towards women and that, although her surgery had not been for cosmetic reasons, this abuse would be unacceptable regardless.

She concluded: “This is so common now for me after a live TV appearance.”

Heart-warming messages of support soon poured in for Katie.

Former footballer and pundit Jamie O’Hara called Katie “an inspiration”.

YouTuber Louise Pentland added: “Thank God you’re you and what a shame he is him. Well done on being a SUCCESS Katie. In every single way xxxxxxx.”

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