Melissa Suffield has shown off her "belly overhang" in an empowering post on social media this week in which she encouraged others not to feel ashamed over their bodies.
The former actor, 29 – best known for playing the late Lucy Beale on EastEnders from 2004 until 2010 – now often posts inspiring messages for her followers on Instagram.
This includes being an advocate for "body neutrality" – a middle-of-the-road approach between body positivity and body negativity – with one of her latest posts on the platform having documented her thoughts on people having an overhanging tummy.
The mother-of-one shared photos of herself this morning, in which she could be seen posing in black underwear – with her stomach on full display in the two photos.
Alongside the photos, she wrote in the post: "A reminder that belly overhang affects LOADS of us, pregnancy related or not. It affects people of all shapes and sizes."
Melissa – who had son River in 2020 – said: "Sometimes it's fat, sometimes it's skin, sometimes it's as a result of a scar, sometimes it's temporary, ALWAYS it's beautiful."
The former soap actor then added: "It doesn't have to be something you're ashamed of, it doesn't necessarily mean you're unhealthy, and you're more certainly not alone."
Do you enjoy reading about celebrities? Sign up for all the best celeb news from the Mirror here .
The post – which was advertisement for underwear brand Curvy – prompted some responses from Melissa's followers, who shared their own experiences with their bodies.
One wrote: "Yes I'm still learning to love mine. You look beautiful". Another said: "I am proud of what my body has been through to bring two beautiful babies into the world."
Another said in the comments section of the social media post: "Beautiful mama.
"Belly hang over here, even before my c-sections and when I ran at an international level."
Melissa has encouraged her followers on the social media platform to embrace themselves in the past, with her once telling fans to "never let your rainbow go dull for anyone."
She had added in a post uploaded earlier this year that people should "shine bright" no matter what others say, with her adding: "You are here, you matter and you are loved."
The post attracted much praise when it was shared in February, with the EastEnders alum described as "inspirational" by followers at the time of issuing the message.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.
