People living in Britain’s fattest town say they are fed up being treated like a ‘freak show’ by YouTubers.
Eighty per cent of the residents of Ebbw Vale in South Wales are classed as obese from living on high calorie takeaways, a recent report has found.
It’s not uncommon for a local to have a Greggs sausage roll for breakfast, a Big Mac for lunch and a kebab or pizza for their evening meal.
Since then, popular content creators have descended on the town including Canadian ‘gymfluencer’ Will Tennyson, who creates YouTube films about fitness, food and lifestyle.
Tennyson, who has almost four million subscribers on YouTube, ate like the locals during his visit, even tucking into a ‘Big Daddy’ full English breakfast containing over 2,000 calories.
But some of the overweight population of the former industrial steel town want YouTubers like Tennyson to stay away.
One woman in her late twenties, who declined to be named or photographed, said: ‘We are not a freak show for people to laugh and joke about.
‘People have bad diets here because of poverty, not enough education and no work.
‘It’s easy to say people in Ebbw Vale are making bad choices but for some they have no choices.’
Eighty per cent of the residents of Ebbw Vale in South Wales are classed as obese from living on high calorie takeaways
Two friends tuck into a full English breakfast outside a café in Ebbw Vale
An overweight man walks through the centre of Ebbw Vale, Britain’s fattest town
Content creators have turned up in the town to make YouTube films including Canadian ‘gymfluencer’ Will Tennyson (pictured)
The town has 15 kebab shops, along with Indian and Chinese takeaways, pizza parlours and fried chicken restaurants.
The queues at the town’s McDonalds are some of the longest in the country and staff there told Tennyson they sometimes see the same customers four times a day.
Factory production supervisor Jay Brown told MailOnline: ‘It shows the town in a bad light and highlights a flaw in Ebbw Vale which is a nice town.
‘There’s a reason why it’s Britain’s heaviest town, it’s down to a lack of education and understanding.
‘Some people might think it’s laziness but there are other factors at play, a lot of people here struggle with health issues.’
Retired pub landlady Lynne Tuttle, 72, said: ‘It’s not doing the reputation of the town any good. Yes, there are a lot of takeaways there but people still have a choice.’
Jack Bailey, 21, who grew up in the town, said: ‘It’s a bit extreme, this YouTuber comes over at 10 stone and goes back making out he’s weighing 20 stone. That’s not good for Ebbw Vale or for him.
‘I appreciate he’s Canadian but there’s a lot more obesity closer to home for him. America has many more fat people than Ebbw Vale.
Locals say it’s not uncommon for people to have a Greggs sausage roll for breakfast, a Big Mac for lunch and a kebab or pizza for their evening meal
Locals have been outraged at influencers coming in to the town and treating it like a ‘freak show’
The town has 15 kebab shops, along with Indian and Chinese takeaways, pizza parlours and fried chicken restaurants
The queues at the town’s McDonalds are some of the longest in the country
Locals say the town’s reputation is being harmed by YouTubers coming in to point out the obesity
One local blasted: ‘America has many more fat people than Ebbw Vale.’
Scott Marshman said he lost a significant amount weight recently after changing his diet and giving up fast food.
Jordan Jukes said Tennyson didn’t ‘trash the town completely’ while James Howard (right) described Ebbw Vale as ‘Kebab City’
‘The problem we have here is that people can’t afford to eat healthy meals. It’s cheaper to have takeaways.
‘One of the pizza shops offers six pizzas for half price one day a week, you can feed your whole family on that.’
The town’s only green grocer French ‘n Fruity was empty of customers during our visit while Greggs bakery opposite was doing a roaring trade.
Along the high street at discount supermarket Heron Foods, duty manager Sarah Leverage revealed the shop’s biggest seller is ready meals.
Sarah, 21, who took part in Tennyson’s 40-minute video, said: ‘There have been three different content providers here because it’s the fattest town in the country.
‘It doesn’t help the reputation of the town but it may shine a light on the problems we have here.
‘It’s a bandwagon, they come here and ask us the same questions.
‘But Will Tennyson did feel sorry for us, he could see there’s nothing for people to do here, people are depressed and fed-up.
Locals say people have bad diets because of poverty, not enough education and no work
Drama student, Sadie Evans, 20, who was born in the town, said: ‘It’s not nice to see our town portrayed in this way.’
Jack Bailey said the YouTube video was ‘extreme’ while Sarah Liversage said the town’s reputation has been tarnished
Local bins show huge amounts of fizzy drinks and energy drinks in Ebbw Vale
‘There are far too many takeaways here and it becomes quick and easy for people. A burger on a Friday night was a treat but for some it’s every day of the week.’
Currency trader Jordan Jukes who is Ebbw Vale born and bred, also took part in Tennyson’s video, titled How Much Weight Can I Gain in the World’s Most Obese Town?
Jordan, 30, said: ‘It’s bad but he didn’t trash the town completely – he said it was lovely but set up to fail and he’s right.
‘We have one greengrocer and dozens of kebab shops.
‘People in Ebbw Vale are not alone in going for convenience. What are you going to do, cook a meal with fresh vegetables or ring up a takeaway and have one delivered?
‘I think his video has brought a little bit of truth but there are plenty of town’s in the UK like Ebbw Vale.’
Drama student, Sadie Evans, 20, who was born in the town, said: ‘It’s not nice to see our town portrayed in this way.
‘But these YouTube videos are right about all the takeaways, the town is full of them.
A shop sign offers sweet treats along the high street in Ebbw Vale, South Wales
Locals say that the younger generation live off takeaways and never cook for themselves
One of several kebab shops offering a variety of deals are seen in the middle of Ebbw Vale
‘I didn’t realise it was that much of a problem, it was a bit of a shock to see Ebbw Vale like this.’
One grandmother, who didn’t want to be named or photographed, said: ‘The younger generation have stopped cooking for their children, they rely on takeaways and we’ve got plenty of choice.
‘My niece has two kids and they’ve never tasted home cooked food, not even beans on toast.
‘They have something from Gregs for breakfast, a snack at lunchtime and a takeaway at night.
‘My niece says she’s too busy to cook but it’s become a way of life here.’
Shop assistant Garen Callaghan, 45, said: ‘We deliver to older customers who still want fresh food to cook for themselves.
‘But we don’t see the younger generation in here, they live off takeaways. That’s all we have in the town these days is takeaways and gents hairdressers.
‘Younger families say they can’t afford to buy fruit and vegetables but takeaways aren’t cheap.’
Mobile phone shop manager James Howard, 39, who took part in the Will Tennyson podcast described Ebbw Vale as ‘Kebab City’.
Garen Callaghan (pictured) said: ‘That’s all we have in the town these days is takeaways and gents hairdressers.’
The Greggs bakery does a roaring trade in Ebbw Vale
He said: ‘They’re spread out across the town but there are 15 of them, there are three on this bit of road alone.
‘Then there’s all the Indians, Chinese, pizza houses and fried chicken places and McDonalds.
‘People don’t cook at home because they can’t be bothered. Cooking at home isn’t being passed down the generations like it used to be.
‘It’s also to do with the poverty here, the fact that we have been abandoned by successive governments. There is no financial input, there’s nothing here and people have given up hope.’
Women in the area have found a solution to their obesity problems, dozens have flown out to Turkey to have £3,500 gastric by-pass operations.
But Ebbw Vale born Scott Marshman, 31, has done it the hard way – he’s lost 10 stone through cutting out the kebabs and eating healthily for the first time in his life.
He said: ‘I was the same as everyone else, I lived on kebabs and greasy takeaways. I’d have a kebab for lunch and a Chinese takeout for tea.
‘But I changed my ways. I eat clean. I buy produce from the greengrocer and cook for myself.
‘The effect on me has been amazing, you’ve just got to change your mindset. I’d love it if people followed my example.
‘Like a lot of people around here I’m unemployed but I’m enrolling on a nursing course. There are opportunities if people want them.
‘Ebbw Vale has a terrible reputation for obesity and unemployment but it isn’t all bad. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.’
