The Simple Life star has been dogged by the anorexic tag for months, but insists she simply suffers from stress and finds it difficult to eat when she feels she's being judged by photographers and journalists.

She recently took supermodel-turned-TV presenter Tyra Banks out for lunch before appearing on her talk show to discuss her weight issues, and confessed stories about her fabled anorexia simply serve to prevent her from gaining weight.

Appearing healthy and tanned on Tyra yesterday, Richie told the ex-model, "You definitely don't want people constantly looking you up and down. I know the photographers are following me every day; I know that they're looking for something wrong and that doesn't feel good at all. That obviously doesn't help me."

Richie revealed she has hired a nutritionist and has therapy sessions in a bid to control her stress levels and gain weight.

"I think I look OK.
"I definitely wouldn't mind gaining a few more pounds at all. I think that
people's weight fluctuates. It happens. It happens to everybody."
Nicole, added: "A lot of people gain weight under stress and a lot of
people lose weight under stress and I am one of those people that loses
weight.
"I am naturally a thin person and I am 5' 1" and putting on five or 10
pounds, that looks like a lot on me."
Nicole also revealed how she was reduced to tears after a photographer
accused her of suffering from anorexia.
She said: "I just broke down. You can't talk to people like that. If someone
is anorexic, that's a serious disease.
"I would never say if someone was losing their hair they had cancer. You
can't say someone has a disease if they don't."
When asked if she was anorexic, Nicole vehemently denied it, saying;
"Absolutely not. One hundred per cent not! I am not anorexic. I am not
bulimic. I do not have an eating disorder."