This Morning Star Ashley James Slams 'Disgraceful' AI Weight Loss Pill Deepfake
This Morning presenter and activist Ashley James has issued a furious response after discovering an AI-generated advertisement using her likeness to promote weight loss pills. The former Made in Chelsea star described the fake advert as a "total violation" and expressed devastation that anyone might purchase the products believing she endorsed them.
Realistic AI Fabrication Features This Morning Set
The disturbing deepfake video shows a digitally generated version of Ashley being interviewed on the This Morning sofa by Ben Shephard. The fabrication includes the program's distinctive colour scheme, the ITV logo, and an AI character that both looks and sounds identical to the presenter. In the clip, the AI persona claims to have lost 27 pounds in just one month using unspecified weight loss pills.
"I've tried everything. Seriously, everything. Each new diet was hopeful and disappointing," begins the fabricated Ashley in the video. "I thought I should just give up, but then I saw an interview with Doctor Rangan Chatterjee, where he explained being overweight is not your fault – it's a metabolic failure caused by age, and he's developed a formula that restarts that metabolism, so I decided to try it."
Public Clarification and Outrage
Ashley took to Instagram this weekend to set the record straight, posting a video where she explicitly stated: "So many of you have sent me this advert, so I just want to be really clear – that is not me. It is completely AI-generated."
The body-positive activist emphasized: "Not only did I never say this, I've never taken these pills, I've never heard of these pills, and most importantly, nor would I ever promote them. I'm honestly devastated that anybody might buy these products believing that I recommended them."
Ashley revealed she consistently rejects all sponsorship opportunities involving diets or weight loss supplements, making the unauthorized advertisement particularly galling. "So not only does this feel like a total violation, but the message behind it makes me incredibly angry," she declared.
Broader Concerns About Body Image Messaging
The presenter connected the incident to wider societal pressures facing women. "We already live in a world where women are constantly told to shrink themselves, be smaller, be thinner, take up less space. And that's only getting worse with the rise of weight loss injections," Ashley explained in her video statement.
In her accompanying caption, she elaborated: "Someone has taken my face and my voice and turned it into an advert telling women they should lose weight. If you know anything about me, you'll know that is the exact kind of messaging I've spent years fighting against."
Celebrity Support and Legal Questions
Famous friends quickly rallied behind Ashley in the comments section of her post. Carol Vorderman wrote: "This is absolutely shocking. What is the recourse in law?" while Sarah Jayne Dunn commented: "This is so scary!!" Dani Harmer echoed the sentiment with "This is terrifying!!!" and Faye Tozer added: "Nothing about this is ok."
Ashley pointed to similar incidents involving other public figures, noting that Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has previously been forced to call out deepfake content after members of the public were scammed out of thousands of pounds following bogus financial advice.
Longstanding Advocacy for Body Acceptance
Ashley James has established herself as a prominent advocate for body positivity, particularly regarding postpartum bodies and motherhood. In a January post discussing harmful rhetoric surrounding mothers' bodies, she wrote: "The world looks at a mum's body and sees something to fix, but our children look at it as their first home and love it."
The mother of two frequently shares unfiltered bikini photos from various angles to encourage body confidence among her followers. Earlier this year, she stated: "I have more confidence in my body now than I ever did before. And I'm proud of that, and I never want my daughter to see me hating on my body."
Call to Action and Platform Accountability
Ashley concluded her statement with a direct appeal to her followers: "I do not support these products and I would never tell you, or anyone else, that you need to shrink yourself or diet. And if you see this advert please report it. Because how social media platforms are allowing this is disgraceful! It's scary when you think about it."
The television personality recently published her first book, titled Bimbo, which became a bestseller. The work details her personal experiences and examines the labels and expectations imposed on women throughout their lives. During promotional interviews, Ashley explained: "Often, if people don't agree with me, they'll go online and say, 'She's just a bimbo.' But it's not just 'bimbo,' it's all the labels that I feel like women are given, whether that's 'bossy,' 'frigid,' 'tarty,' and even into elderhood, like 'crone' or 'hag.' I really wanted to explore how these labels shrink us and keep us small."
