Nicola Roberts was constantly branded by the media as "ug...
“Nicola Roberts was constantly branded by the media as "ugly" because of her ginger hair and pale skin. Luckily, she fought back against this by creating a makeup range for pale-skinned women like herself. Hilarious in Hindsight: This 2006 sketch featuring Kimberley, Sarah, and Cheryl spoofing The X Factor. Two years later, Cheryl replaced Sharon Osbourne as a judge on the show. On one of the band's behind the scenes specials in 2005, Cheryl makes a crack about she and the rest of the girls don't really want to be singing "Love Machine" by the time they're 30. In 2013, three of them were already at that age and they all toured on their greatest hits, which include "Love Machine." Made even more hilarious 11 years later in 2024 during their tour, the Girls Aloud Show; half of the remaining four members were in their 40s and the other half were nearly there. Cheryl quipped during one show "Okay, but if we're going to go there. Last tour, I was 29. Today, I'm 41. I never performed Love Machine in my 30s. Ha! Let's go."”
Summary
The media repeatedly labeled Nicola Roberts as “the ugly one” due to her ginger hair and pale complexion, with notable insults from Lily Allen and radio DJ Chris Moyles. In response, she launched the Dainty Doll makeup line specifically designed for fair‑skinned women. The claim is therefore accurate.
Sources 60 searched
- Nicola Roberts: ‘My therapist said I was one of the most resilient people she’d ever met’ | Nicola Roberts | The Guardian
In 2007, Lily Allen called her “the ugly one” from Girls Aloud, while Chris Moyles, who was then a BBC Radio 1 DJ, insulted Roberts for years, calling her the “ropey-looking ginger one”, “horsey chops” and a “sour-faced old cow”. (Moyles made a non-apology in 2012.)
- Nicola Roberts: Is this sexy? No, no, no | Health & wellbeing | The Guardian
And presumably not a brown one either? Roberts laughs. "That's a good one. No, definitely not brown." This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025. The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media.
- Nicola Roberts relaunches Dainty Doll make-up range - BBC News
Nicola Roberts says she's thankful to Girls Aloud fans for supporting her second career as a make-up designer. The singer has just relaunched her Dainty Doll range created for women with pale skin.
- Nicola Roberts - Wikipedia
Prior to her fame, Roberts never found flaws with her red hair, calling it a "prized possession" but after critics picked on her image she saw it as a flaw, with Roberts explaining: "I hated it and I hated people judging me. I'd put on the telly and there'd be someone saying something cruel, or I'd open up a magazine and read it. Normal people don't have people telling them day to day they're ugly ...
- Nicola Roberts: Being dubbed as ‘The Ugly One’ drove me to alcohol | Metro News
But with the fame came endless criticism and taunts as Nicola recalls how she was bullied for her ginger hair and pale skin. One memory that stand out for the pop star is when Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles dubbed her as ‘The Ugly One’ live on his radio show which led to a downward spiral for the star.
- Pale-faced Girls Aloud star Nicola launches new make-up range... but has she gone too far? | London Evening Standard | The Standard
Paler than thou: Nicola Roberts may have taken the pale look too far as she looked exceedingly pale stood next to her Girls Aloud bandmates Cheryl Cole, and Kimberly Walsh, right · Cheryl and Kimberley appeared at London restaurant Sketch to give Nicola's launch a boost, but it served only to make their redheaded pale look almost unnaturally milky. Nicola created the range, aimed at fair-skinned girls like herself as part of ITV reality show 'Passions', after producers asked the girl group to "take on a challenge to fulfil a life-long dream".
- Nicola Roberts isn't the best advert for her make-up range as she leaves launch looking tired and worn out
The Dainty Doll collection includes 10 different products in various shades and colours and ranges in price from £10 to £20. Porcelain-skinned sandwich: Nicola between two models wearing her cosmetics for the alabaster skinned
- 'Finally I don't feel like the ugly one in Girls Aloud any more,' reveals Nicola Roberts | Daily Mail Online
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder: ... Cole and Kimberley Walsh · After years of being cruelly labelled 'the ugly one' in Girls Aloud, the 23-year-old is finally feeling confident with her looks and has found her place in the fashion world....
- Nicola Roberts: I was bullied for four years over the way I looked - Mirror Online
In 2008, Chris Moyles, labelled her a “sour-faced cow”, and criticised her hair, face and body. Refusing to slate the BBC star, Nicola nonetheless hints at the effect his words had on her in the song. With lines including: “I was too young for so many things / Yet you thought I’d cope ...
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