A tabloid suggested Home & Away's Sophie Dillman was too big for her bikini. So, she wrote them a letter.

Home and Away actress Sophie Dillman, 25, has written an open letter to tabloid media, condemning them for suggesting “I am too fat for my clothes”.

While on set for the television show in Palm Beach, paparazzi snapped photos of Dillman, who plays Ziggy Astoni on the show, in her bikini. The images were then published by a popular tabloid website, along with the line: “[she] narrowly avoided spilling out of her skimpy swimwear”.

The actress wasn’t prepared to let the shaming slide. She posted her letter alongside an image with a clear message: “You are more than just your boobs.”

“I would like to sincerely thank you for the photos you published of me last Friday,” she wrote to the tabloid.

“On top of trying to remember my lines, run between the ocean and rain in 9 degree weather, and deliver a performance in which I had to appear believably warm, I had the added pleasure of being snapped by your caring and reasonable paparazzi.”

Dillman continued by denouncing the publication “for choosing the most unflattering pictures possible” in order to publish an article that was “designed to make me look awful”.

“I wonder, do these paparazzi and journalists have children? Partners?” she wrote.

“I can guarantee they would never write a bad word against the people in their lives or publish unflattering photos of them for the world to see.”

Dillman also pointed to “fat-shaming” comments on the article, and warned that people don’t realise the impact their words can have: “These are the types of comments that lead to the development of depression, anxiety and eating disorders,” she wrote.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Dear @dailymailau @dailymail, I would like to sincerely thank you for the photos you published of me last Friday. On top of trying to remember my lines, run between the ocean and rain in 9 degree weather, and deliver a performance in which I had to appear believably warm, I had the added pleasure of being snapped by your caring and reasonable paparazzi. I would like to thank them for choosing the most unflattering pictures possible from that day and using them to write an article about me which was designed to make me look awful, suggest I am too fat for my clothes and allow my appearance to be a topic of discussion. I would like to invite the journalist who wrote that article to join me running in and out of the ocean in a bikini, being photographed by a stranger who provoked the camera crew, and look flawless for the entire duration of that set. I wonder, do these paparazzi and journalists have children? Partners? I can guarantee they would never write a bad word against the people in their lives or publish unflattering photos of them for the world to see. Have they ever considered that making a fellow human being feel ashamed of themselves by creating content designed with that goal in mind is in itself shameful? I doubt it. Finally, to the delightful people who wrote fat shaming comments under that article: how would you feel if someone said those things about you? Or if they made your loved one cry because they said it to them? These are the types of comments that lead to the development of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. PS to the man who said I had no curves and look like a refrigerator- don’t be mean to refrigerators- they are keeping all my food cold so I can be juicy news for you all to comment on ???? #dailymail

A post shared by Sophie Dillman (@sophiedillman) on Jun 14, 2019 at 2:35am PDT

Dillman was flooded with support in the comments section of her Instagram post, including from a number of her Home and Away co-stars.

Lynne McGranger who plays Irene Roberts on the show reposted the letter to her own Instagram profile, adding, “I hope all young and not so young women read this!!”

“You go [Sophie Dillman] you are a glorious, divine, beautiful, healthy sexy woman. And you are an amazing role model.”

Ada Nicodemou also commented, saying in part, “Body shaming is unacceptable and shouldn’t be tolerated. The whole summer bay family loves you and has your back.”

Fans of the show and Sophie further showed their support, with one adding “Women everywhere should be empowering each other for reasons exactly like this. How spot on.”

Sophie certainly isn’t the first celebrity in Australia who has spoken out about being trailed by paparazzi.

Sam Frost, who is also on Home and Away, has previously spoken to Mamamia about the anxiety paparazzi causes her when she spots them.

"Anytime I'm out in public, I am paranoid, anxious and cautious of everything I do just in case there is a pap lurking in the bushes, following me in their car or camping outside my house," the former Bachelorette explained.

"I'm not free to be myself anymore, which is heartbreaking for my family and friends to witness."

TV presenter and mother-of-four Bec Judd has also previously spoken to Mamamia, and compared being followed by paparazzi to being "stalked".

"They wait outside my house and follow my car. When I see them in my rear view mirror as I pull out of my driveway I feel a sense of dread and panic," she said.

"No matter how often I am followed, I still can't get used to it and this feeling feels like a fight or flight reaction.

"Some of the more aggressive paps drive like maniacs so they don't lose contact with me out on the road. They run red lights, cut across traffic and almost cause accidents."