The fat debate – Julie Burchill vs Katie Hopkins

In this week’s issue, Julie Burchill explains why she is not dieting. Ever. As Kingsley Amis said, no pleasure is worth giving up for the sake of two more years in a geriatric home. And Burchill has seen nothing during her long, wicked, wonderful life to make her change her ways — or her weight.

But what will Katie Hopkins, arch-enemy of the obese, make of this? She joins Burchill on this week’s View from 22 podcast, to discuss whether someone can ever be overweight and happy. Hopkins has campaigned vigorously against obesity — so does she think Burchill is greedy when she goes off to ‘have another cream doughnut’, as Hopkins puts it?

Burchill doesn’t seem too bothered by what Hopkins thinks. She reckons fat people are often far more attractive than thin people. ‘I’m not being horrible, but I saw you on a panel with three fat girls, and you were the ugliest one there mate,’ she tells Hopkins.

As well as the issue of obesity, the pair also touch on the subject of assisted dying.