Full Breakdown
CMAT Confronts Body-Shaming After Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2026
5/29/2026, 7:50:04 PM
The Incident at Big Weekend
On May 24 2026, Irish singer-songwriter CMAT performed on the main stage of Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland. Within hours of the set, screenshots of online comments targeting her appearance circulated, prompting CMAT to address the abuse in an Instagram post on April 28 2026. She described the remarks as “derogatory” and noted that the BBC had previously disabled comments under clips of her 2024 Luton performance because of similar body-shaming.
Background & Context
CMAT’s 2025 album *Euro-Country* earned critical acclaim, a Mercury Prize shortlist (2025), and a Best Album award at the Ivors 2026. The track “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me,” released in 2025, was written explicitly to confront criticism of her weight. In 2024, after a prior Big Weekend appearance, the BBC disabled comments on related video clips due to the severity of the abuse.
Key Figures & Groups
- CMAT – Irish singer-songwriter, primary subject of the abuse.
- BBC – Broadcaster that disabled comments on video clips in 2024.
- Front Row Feels – Substack blog whose essay summarized the emotional impact of the 2026 set.
- NME – Publication reporting the incident and tracking CMAT’s awards.
Timeline of Events
- 2024 – BBC disables comments after body-shaming of CMAT’s Luton set.
- May 24 2026 – CMAT’s performance at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Sunderland.
- April 28 2026 – CMAT posts a detailed Instagram statement.
- May 30 2026 – Scheduled headline gig at Dublin’s St Anne’s Park.
- 2025-2026 – Awards: Mercury Prize shortlist, Ivors Best Album, BRIT nomination for Best International Artist.
Data & Statistics
- Performance date: May 24 2026.
- Instagram post date: April 28 2026.
- Upcoming Dublin show: May 30 2026.
- *Euro-Country* – shortlisted for 2025 Mercury Prize, #4 on NME’s best-album list.
- “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” – #3 on NME’s 50 best songs of 2025.
Official Statements & Responses
The BBC’s action in 2024 was to disable comments under video clips of CMAT’s set, citing the “severe” nature of body-shaming. In her Instagram post, CMAT acknowledged the disabling of comments and responded with a sarcastic remark about the legality of her body size, while reaffirming her gratitude for her career.
Criticism & Opposition
Online users posted “derogatory remarks” about CMAT’s weight and body shape following the 2026 performance. The comments were described by CMAT as “abusive” and “accelerating in frequency” as her fame grew.
On-the-Ground Reports
Front Row Feels noted that “the crowd screamed every word back at her,” indicating audience support during the performance of “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No precise count of abusive comments has been released, and the BBC has not issued a public statement beyond the comment-disabling action.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It is literally so boring for me, a gorgeous genius, to keep having to yap on about how horribly I am treated because of my body,” — CMAT, Singer-songwriter
- “There is no relief from this – nobody can protect me or save me from this, and all that is demanded of me is more and more work as every environment I am placed in becomes more hostile.” — CMAT
- “I didn’t realise it was ILLEGAL to have a HUGE ASS !!!! I am GUILTY as CHARGED it is time to lock me up and throw away THE KEY!!!!! By the way I am an award-winning songwriter that has released two albums which were received to ‘universal acclaim’.” — CMAT (Instagram response)
- “With the internet, every woman is now in the public eye. And no matter who you are, or what you look like, somebody will take umbrage with the fact that you even exist, and there’s no escaping it. ‘Take A Sexy Picture Of Me’ was born out of that, because I held back for so long; not out of frustration or sadness for myself, because I AM in the public eye, but I realised it’s actually like this for every woman.” — CMAT
- “The backlash became so severe that the BBC eventually disabled comments under clips from the set.” — Front Row Feels (Substack essay)
Why It Matters / Impact
CMAT’s experience highlights ongoing challenges for women in the public eye, where social-media platforms can amplify body-shaming. The incident underscores the need for platform moderation policies and mental-health safeguards for artists.
What’s Next
CMAT is slated to headline at Dublin’s St Anne’s Park on May 30 2026 and will appear at festivals including TRNSMT, Mad Cool, and Bilbao BBK Live later in the summer. No further statements from the BBC have been reported.
