By M&C People Feb 20, 2008, 1:54 GMT
Actress Kirstie Alley - who recently parted ways with weight loss empire Jenny Craig after a three-year relationship, just announced her plans to start her own weight loss company.
Kirstie Alley - © Scott Alan / Photorazzi
“I'm confident that I can create something exciting and innovative, something that if all goes well, will help change a fat America back into a fit America and will offer this country the healthiest, yummiest, easiest and most effective weight-loss program on the market,” the actress said.
However, the 57-year-old’s project will only hit the market at some point in 2009, her statement to People magazine said.
While calling her experience with Jenny Craig “extraordinary,” Alley, who lost 75 pounds on the program, said she hopes to “create something new that will help millions of people end the seemingly never ending fatty-roller coaster ride.”
“I am especially passionate about seeing to it that our next generations are not struggling with the same weight issues that my generation has struggled with,” she explained.
The new regime at Jenny Craig is Valerie Bertinelli and Queen Latifah, whom Alley referred to as “two talented pros,” as she wanted to “personally wish them the same excellent results and amazing adventures that” she herself experienced as the Jenny Craig spokesperson.
“Although Kirstie will not appear in future advertising endeavors for us, she does remain on Jenny Craig's maintenance program and is confident that our program has helped her incorporate positive lifestyle changes that should last a lifetime,” Scott Parker, vice-president of marketing for Jenny Craig was quoted by People as saying.
”She's proud to have been able to participate in the creation of Jenny's award-winning, integrated advertising campaign, and says she's thankful for the opportunity to help so many other people lose weight and keep it off,” he added.
But according to reporter Roger Friedman of FOX News, "Kirstie Alley was dumped by Jenny Craig last week as a spokeswoman. The word went out that the reason was because she’d gained a lot of weight. But didn’t we just report that Alley had given at least $5 million of her Jenny Craig money to Scientology? I’ll bet she’d like some of that back now. …"
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