Warning: This article contains discussions which some readers may find distressing
There are certain TV shows and films that we look back on now and wonder how they would be received if they were to air today.
Like, in what world was Bridget Jones ever 'a little bit fat'? And don't even get us started on the fat-shaming of poor Natalie in Love Actually.
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One TV show that people have recently re-visited has left them stunned. Even the title is enough to raise an eyebrow.
People have started bingeing the show after it was recently added to Netflix, but some can't believe it aired in the first place.
The British drama was first released in 2000. Set in Leeds, it ran for five years and told the story of a group of slimming club members.
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Fat Friends was created by Kay Mellor and starred Ruth Jones, James Corden, Sheridan Smith, Janet Dibley, Alison Steadman and Will Mellor.
The slimming club is run by Carol (who everyone seems to actively dislike) who is always pushing members to follow the 'super slimmers' regime.
Each episode focused on one particular character, but some storylines ran through the series.
After recently discovering the show, viewers have been calling out some of the 'inappropriate' and 'triggering' scenes.
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One person wrote on X: "Fat Friends is actually quite triggering."
While another said: "Oh don’t. I’ve been watching Fat Friends on Netflix. It’s very inappropriate in places but also really lovely. However the woman who runs weight watchers is a complete cow: 'What on earth have you been doing this week?' 'I had friends over.' 'Did you eat them?'”
And a third added: "Can’t believe how negative they are about big bums... how times have changed lol."
Others were so happy they'd been able to re-watch, with one viewer writing: "I was obsessed with Fat Friends as a kid so I'm pleased to see it is now available on Netflix. The story of a slimming club set in Leeds. This is pure noughties nostalgia and stars some of the best British television actors in recent years."
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And a second said: "I have just seen #FatFriends has been added to @Netflix. That is my weekend binge sorted. I have never seen it and it is very best of British dramady from the time."
The late Kay Mellor, who passed away in 2022, previously spoke about what inspired her to come up with the series.
She told Living North: "I saw someone outside the Town and Country Club in Leeds as it was at the time. She was a curvy young woman and it was a cold November night.
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"There she was in a strappy Lycra dress, blonde hair cascading down her back, and everybody was looking at her. I remember thinking gosh, look how confident she is, look how amazing she is and look at how everyone’s looking at her in adoration.
"All it was really was confidence. She had bucketloads of it. I thought: Why aren’t we all like that? Why are we all obsessed with how much we weigh? She didn’t care, and she looked gorgeous."
Tyla has reached out to Netflix for comment.
You can watch Fat Friends on Netflix now.
Topics: TV And Film, Netflix
Lucy Devine