Victoria Beckham's stage school principal who she claimed 'fat shamed her' as a teen before she went on to develop eating disorder is set to receive Olivier Awards prize

Victoria Beckham may have mixed feelings watching this year's Olivier Awards where her former stage school principal Betty Laine will receive the Industry Recognition prize at April's ceremony.

The former Spice Girl, 51, claimed in her memoir that the teacher 'fat shamed' her during her studies at the Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, Surrey, which she attended from the age of 17 until 20.

In her recent Netflix documentary Victoria revealed she had suffered an eating disorder which started when she was at theatre school as she controlled her weight in what she described as an 'incredibly unhealthy way.'

In her 2001 book Learning To Fly, she recalled Betty telling here on day during rehearsals: ‘You’re so fat I am going to have to fly you in. I’m going to have to get you in on a crane because you’re such a roly poly.’

Victoria's body confidence agony began when she was just a teenager and won a place at the school, which her parents funded by remortgaging their house, but was dishonest about even to her beloved parents Tony and Jackie. 

Speaking in her documentary she said: 'When you have an eating disorder you become very good at lying. And I was never honest about it with my parents. 

'I never spoke about it publicly, it really affects you. When you're told constantly you're not good enough. And I suppose that's been with me my whole life.'

Despite her hard work she wasn't the best dancer, or indeed singer. But she also told how she looked different to her classmates.

'I didn't look like a lot of the other girls,' she says. 'That's where I started getting a lot of criticism about my appearance, my weight'.

'I remember the principal of the theatre school saying to me, you know, at the end of the show we are going to just fly in. 'You girls can be flown in' meaning that we weren't looking as aesthetically pleasing as some of the others, 'so we'll just fly you in the back.'

Victoria's mother Jackie added that the star was told 'you're overweight. You'll be at the back", It must have affected her, it's a very silly thing to say to someone, 'you're fat.'

The Olivier's Industry Recognition awards are presented by the Society of London Theatre to individuals who have made significant contributions to the theatre industry.

Announcing the news on their official Instagram account the school said: 'Laine Theatre Arts is immensely proud to congratulate our Founder and Principal Emeritam Betty Laine OBE, on receiving the prestigious Industry Recognition Award at the Olivier Awards'. 

'This honour is a fitting tribute to Betty Laine’s extraordinary contribution to the performing arts and to professional training over more than five decades'. 

'Through her vision, dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence, she established Laine Theatre Arts as one of the United Kingdom’s leading Colleges for musical theatre and dance'.

'Betty Laine’s influence extends far beyond the College’s studios. Thousands of directors, choreographers, performers and industry leaders working across the West End and international stages today are a testament to her legacy. Her passion for nurturing talent, championing discipline and instilling professionalism has shaped generations of artists and enriched the wider theatre industry.

We offer Miss Laine our warmest congratulations on this richly deserved recognition'.

Daily Mail have contacted Victoria's representatives and Laine Theatre Arts for comment.  

Victoria, who catapulted to fame in the mid-90s with the Spice Girls, also recalls a moment when she was weighed by live on television by Chris Evans on his Channel 4 show TFI Friday to see if she had lost her baby weight just months after giving birth to her eldest son Brooklyn back in 1999.

While at the time she was all smiles, today she reveals the toll that it took on her as a 25-year-old new mum.

'I was weighed on national television,' says Victoria. 'Get on those scales, have you lost the weight?' we laugh about it and we joke about it but I was really, really young and that hurts.'

Victoria has also expressed how she 'lost all sense of reality' with the disorder and found it all consuming and tiring, while adding that she plans on protecting her daughter Harper, 14, from following the same path. 

David has previously spoken about Victoria's strict diet of steamed vegetables and fish, commenting on this, she said: ' David has always known that I've been very disciplined about the way that I eat.'

Sharing how she has overcome the obstacle, Victoria said: 'And I managed to turn myself because I was too scared to talk to anyone, you know. I was I was I I didn't feel that I could trust anyone at all.

'Um I managed to do it myself and turn an unhealthy obsession with food into a healthy relationship, meaning understanding it's about balance - David helped me do that. i'm healthy and I'm disciplined.'