England’s Red Roses star Ellie Kildunne, who helped secure the World Cup title with five tries in the 2023 final, has opened up about a lockdown‑era slide into disordered eating and body dysmorphia. The 26‑year‑old explained that isolation from her Great Britain sevens squad stripped away the performance metrics that usually anchor her, prompting a dangerous search for control elsewhere.

During the COVID shutdown she swapped gym sessions for solo runs, chasing faster times while cutting calories. When meals arrived, she would sprint to ‘earn’ them, spiralling into a cycle that left her under‑fuelled. The neglect manifested as a knee stress fracture on her return to organised rugby, and tremors during weight training underscored her depleted energy stores.

Support arrived when former Wasps physiotherapist Emily Ross asked about her wellbeing, prompting Kildunne to break down and acknowledge the problem. A 2025 ADHD diagnosis later explained her erratic eating patterns, and a structured nutrition plan with team dietitians has steadied her performance at Harlequins. Her candid memoir aims to give other athletes a relatable voice beyond the pitch, for future generations as well.