Georgia Toffolo says she 'refused to film' Made In Chelsea at the height of her acne struggles as she opens up about her ongoing battle

Georgia Toffolo has revealed she 'refused to film' Made In Chelsea at the height of her acne struggles because she was struggling 'terribly' with her skin. 

The reality star, 31, who was known as Toff on the series for four years until she left in 2018, has suffered with hyperpigmentation and acne since she was a teenager.

Georgia's struggle has heavily affected her mental health over the years, so much so that she was allowed a special dispensation to wear a layer of foundation during her stint on I'm A Celebrity in 2017.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, Georgia opened up about her ongoing battle but insisted she now feels more 'confident' in her skin. 

She said: 'I felt strongly on Made In Chelsea that I really wanted to hide [her skin] and cover it and it was very easy.

'I was very tempted for my whole career to hide and it was very easy to hide on Made In Chelsea because they put this amazing yellow filter on top of our scenes.

'But when they put that yellow hue over us, we all looked absolutely gorgeous and the sun was always shining in SW3 it seemed.

'But what was going on underneath, I was suffering terribly with my skin. Most days I didn't want to film and then of course, I found myself in the jungle where I did argue my way into taking my foundation because I was so scared.'

She added: 'I was really pleased that I was forced to be honest because if I hadn't of done I wouldn't have changed my relationship with my skin so much.'

In an accompanying caption, she added: 'What was it like struggling with acne on reality TV… Honestly? Brutal.

'You’re on camera constantly. Under lights. Being filmed at your worst moments. And acne doesn’t care about your schedule or the fact that millions of people are watching.

'I’m so grateful to be able to create this space to normalise that acne, sensitivity, and skin struggles are just… normal. And to explore what actually works without shame or judgment!'

Earlier this year, Georgia revealed her natural skin as she shared an insight into her acne battle in a candid social media post in February.

She admitted she has 'spent more on foundation than some have on rent' while discussing her updated makeup routine.

Georgia explained: 'I’ve had problematic skin for 15 years. So when a breakout appears… I don’t spiral anymore.

'I’ve learnt the hard way that panicking makes it so much worse. Throwing every product at it? BIG NO. Calm skin behaves better than cross skin.'

She continued: 'When it comes to covering. Less is always more. Start small and build slowly.

'The goal isn’t to plaster it into submission. It’s to quietly outwit it. It took me a long time to realise this is just my skin, and that’s okay!!!

'What I actually use: Erborian UK CC Red Correct, Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation & Concealer and Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm (a bright lip is a distraction tactic).'

Georgia previously told the Daily Mail that her stint on I'm A Celebrity was the start of her 'weird little journey' in embracing her natural skin, as makeup is not allowed in the jungle.

The star, who went on to win the show in 2017 before taking on the All Stars edition in 2023, said: 'I was really nervous about doing that. And it was so weird. I thought that my skin would have been a lot better, but it wasn't.

'Over the years I've figured out that, actually, all of the tests that I've had, everything I've tried skin flare-ups, very connected to stress levels.'

She previously said she didn't feel totally herself on the show without her 'war paint'.

Georgia said: 'My skin was something that made me feel less than confident, really. I had a bit of light trolling when I came out of the jungle.'

However, the star said that by discussing her skin publicly since then, she has been able to overcome some of her insecurities.

She added: 'But I did this amazing feature on This Morning and it was really simple: I just took off my makeup.

'I was so worried about what people would say about my acne. But I just carried on. I looked down the barrel of the camera. I said some of the nasty things that I've read across socials, and it had such an impact.'

The NHS reports that the majority of people stop experiencing acne in their 20s, but in 3 per cent of the population, it can persist over the age of 35.