Delta Burke Opens Up About Weight Struggles and Drastic Measures During ‘Designing Women’ Fame

Delta Burke, best known for her role as Suzanne Sugarbaker on the hit series “Designing Women,” is opening up about the intense scrutiny she faced over her weight during the ’80s and ’90s. In a candid interview on the Glamorous Trash podcast, Burke revealed the drastic measures she felt compelled to take for weight loss, including using illegal pills and even trying methamphetamine.

The pressure to maintain a certain weight in Hollywood led Burke to take extreme measures, including using “Black Beauties,” a combination amphetamine capsule marketed as diet pills in the ’60s and ’70s. Burke shared that she would take the pills in the morning to suppress her appetite, but soon built a tolerance to them. This led to someone on set suggesting she try methamphetamine, which she ingested by mixing it with cranberry juice and not eating for days.

Despite her efforts to lose weight, Burke faced relentless criticism from industry professionals and fans about her body. She recalled being told her “butt’s too big” and her “legs are too big,” leading her to feel immense pressure to conform to unrealistic standards of beauty.

Burke eventually left “Designing Women” in its fifth season due to the emotional toll of the constant scrutiny over her weight. She cited psychological abuse from series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and her husband, Harry Thomason, as contributing factors to her departure. Burke also credited her husband, actor Gerald McRaney, for being a source of love and support during this tumultuous time in her career.

Now living a quieter life in Florida with McRaney, Burke reflects on her time in Hollywood and the toll it took on her mental health. She emphasizes the importance of self-love and acceptance, highlighting the damaging effects of the entertainment industry’s unrealistic beauty standards.

Burke’s story serves as a reminder of the harmful impact of body shaming and the importance of prioritizing mental and physical well-being over societal expectations.