Viewers savage new reality show about plus-sized romances

People aren't a fan of new show hot and heavy. Photo / Twitter

A new TV show featuring plus-sized woman and their "normal"-sized male partners has sparked social media outrage, with viewers slamming the "gross" way it treated its subjects.

Adverts for US reality show Hot And Heavy, which will air overseas on TLC from January 7, appeared on social media this week and almost immediately attracted criticism for its description of "mixed-weight" couples.

Ads for new show Hot And Heavy have appeared online. Photo / Twitter

"For these couples, love knows no size. See the highs and lows of their mixed-weight relationships on the series premiere of #HotandHeavy," a description of a video preview shared to Twitter read.

For these couples, love knows no size. See the highs and lows of their mixed-weight relationships on the series premiere of #HotandHeavy Tuesday, January 7 at 10/9c. pic.twitter.com/QAFh8AILj7

— TLC Network (@TLC) December 10, 2019

In the trailer three couples – Joy and Chris, Kristin and Rusty, and Adrianna and Ricardo – all appear to deal with issues in their relationship related to the women's sizes.

The outrage online was swift, with people quick to claim it was unfair that only plus-sized women were featured.

Let me tell you what we’re not going to do. This. At all. https://t.co/BBaZFrUmJI

— Evette Dionne (@freeblackgirl) December 11, 2019

Of course, only the women are heavier.
Let's retitle, "How Can Men Possibly Love Fat Women?"
🙄🙄🙄

— Emily McCarty (@emjmccarty) December 11, 2019

This is not okay and that title is horrible.

— Laffy🍬Taffy (@CVNubiana) December 11, 2019

The new show was heavily criticised. Photo / Twitter

Others objected to the use of "mixed-size" couples because since when was that even a term people used?

I want “mixed-weight” to die a fiery death. because overwhelmingly this is applied to fat women in relationships with less fat or thin men.

meanwhile pop culture has been giving us fat men with thin wives as a norm for like every comedy sitcom or romcom?!? https://t.co/2zBUic3Mdb

— Shantel G. Buggs, Ph.D. (@sgbuggs) December 11, 2019

TLC, the US cable network behind the show, is yet to respond to the criticism, but it's not the first time the network's offerings have been controversial.

The network is also the brains behind My 600-lb Life, My Big Fat Fabulous Life, Toddlers & Tiaras and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.