Anton Danyluk, the ripped reality star from Lanarkshire, has battled body insecurity all his life. As an overweight kid, he faced body-shaming and bullying.
He reacted by hitting the gym to build muscle and confidence. But despite his toned body, he’s still anxious about his appearance – and he’s not alone. More than a quarter of teenage boys in Scotland stress about their body image and social media is making the problem worse.
Now Anton wonders if he’s part of the issue as he peppers his socials with muscly selfies and gym shots. In this new 30 minute documentary he reflects on whether he is hiding his own insecurities and also inadvertently making boys believe in an unrealistic ideal body.
He meets young men who struggle with their body image to understand how they’re affected by what they see online and compare their experiences of body shaming with his own. In a frank, personal journey, he examines his time on reality TV and speaks to mental health experts as he questions how the media obsession with ‘ripped physiques’ affects Scotland’s young men.
Anton Danyluk on Body Shame, is a Firecrest Films production, and will go out on BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer on May 18.