British model Lily Cole has compared being bullied for having red hair to racial abuse in a recent interview on poet laureate Simon Armitage's BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p088vb8p">podcast</a>. The 32-year-old beauty talked about being subjected to years of "damaging" slurs for her ginger locks when she was at school. Despite the taunts, Cole was signed by Storm model agency in 2003 at the tender age of 15. Furthermore, by the time she was 16, she had already landed her first Vogue cover. She maintains that the verbal abuse she contended with as a youngster was similar to prejudice based on race as her red hair is a feature she cannot change. Related - This is the moment a hotel employee calmly denies a racist woman service in the best possible way: [[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/ZV88a5yY-dkXnENEs.mp4||ZV88a5yY]] She told Simon Armitage on his <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p088vb8p">podcast,</a> as reported by the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8226819/Lily-Cole-claims-mocked-red-hair-akin-RACIST-abuse.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailceleb&__twitter_impression=true">Daily Mail</a>: "What are the reason that kids are bullied? It's because they're different." "On a surface level it was mostly because I had red hair. And at that time in England - and I still think it exists as a problem - being ginger was a common kind of slur." I think it's really problematic because it's the kind of slur that's largely overlooked by teachers because it's not really politically incorrect." Cole then continued: "It's not a racial slur but it's also not dissimilar because it's something a child can't change about themselves, short of dyeing their hair. <img class="size-full wp-image-12593163" src="https://img.vt.co/2020/04/6a4e62dc-pa-2124097.jpg" alt="Model Lily Cole arrives for the British Fashion Awards at the Victoria and Albert Museum in central London. The event, run by the British Fashion Council, promotes the creativity and international influence of British fashion design." width="338" height="512" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA]] "My mum said it was jealousy but I didn't really believe that. It can be really damaging." Cole is one of the most successful models in the UK, previously being <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8226819/Lily-Cole-claims-mocked-red-hair-akin-RACIST-abuse.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailceleb&__twitter_impression=true">named</a> Model of the Year at the 2004 British Fashion Awards. Moreover, she has worked for big labels in fashion including Alexander McQueen, Moschino, and Chanel. The 5'10 beauty shares a four-year-old daughter Wylde with her partner Kwame Ferreira. You can listen to the podcast <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p088vb8p">here</a>.

Model claims being bullied for her red hair is akin to racist abuse

Top Stories

Entertainment

Bizarre footage shows Mike Tyson cradling Hasbulla like a baby and appearing to 'nibble' his ear

Entertainment

Roger Moore's son says James Bond shouldn't be a woman

Entertainment

Bruce Springsteen fans furious as concert tickets cost 'as much as a mortgage payment'

Entertainment

Drew Barrymore says Ashley Graham got 'the real' Hugh Grant during awkward Oscars interview

Entertainment

'Wheel of Fortune' host Pat Sajak 'tackles' contestant in bizarre clip

Entertainment

Gisele Bündchen responds to claims she gave ex-husband Tom Brady an ultimatum