Candace Cameron Bure Shares Her True Thoughts on theFull HouseEpisode About D.J.'s Weight (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Candace Cameron on a 1990 episode of ‘Full House’ and in 2024.Photo:Everett, Vivien Killilea/Getty

ULL HOUSE, Candace Cameron, 1987-95, episode ‘Shape Up’ aired 11/9/90, Candace Cameron Bure attends the “Unsung Hero” screening at Lionsgate on April 17, 2024 in Santa Monica, California

Everett, Vivien Killilea/Getty

On two recent episodesof theirFull Houserewatch podcast,How Rude, Tanneritos!,hostsJodie SweetinandAndrea Barbertook a close look at a particularly touchy episode from the series, 1990’s “Shape Up.“The season 4 episode followedCandace Cameron Bure’s D.J. Tanner on her quest to lose weight before a pool party; she skipped meals and worked out, nearly collapsing before any adults noticed what was going on.“It was very uncomfortable to watch,” Barber, 48, said. “It made me really feel for Candace too having to carry this storyline.”Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE on Feb. 7 at the 32nd Annual Movieguide Awards in Hollywood, Bure, 48, shared her own feelings on the episode.Candace Cameron Bure on the ‘Full House’ episode ‘Shape Up’ in 1990.ABC/MAX"It was a time even in my life that I had kind of gone through my own little weight loss journey and I think the writers, they were always taking stories that were true to us as people and kind of writing them into our characters,” she said. “And so they were really respectful and asked about that story and I thought it was a good story to tell.“On the podcast, Barber noted that at the time, series creatorJeff Franklinconsulted with Bure’s parents and got them to sign off on the storyline. But, she said, that “doesn’t negate the fact that it’s a spotlight on a teenage girl and her insecurity.”“I know it was something that she was sensitive about,” Sweetin, 43, agreed. “It’s hard when it’s something that you’re really dealing with to be like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna pretend that this is fine and that I can resolve it,’ you know?”Looking back, Bure said she’s “not uncomfortable” talking about the episode, but realizes “times change, the social norms shift.“Candace Cameron Bure at the 2025 Movieguide Awards in Hollywood.Michael Tullberg/Getty"People look back on certain things and they could say, ‘Oh well that’s politically incorrect now,’ or, ‘You can’t talk about that now.’ But I think for the time and day it was really good advice from Aunt Becky,” she added, referring to a moment whenLori Loughlin’s character suggests a balanced diet with less junk food.“Listen,” she continued, “I’m just happy people are still watchingFull House,so if they want to talk about it, go ahead and talk about it.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.On a continuation of the podcast chat,Barber and Sweetin spoke to nutritionist and formerFuller Houseproduction coordinatorMelanie Samuels, who agreed that the Tanner adults could have done a better job helping D.J. before her crash diet got out of control.Asked what she would change about the episode, Samuels said that she would “rewrite the adult script.”“Maybe having more of a check on how they talk about their own bodies,” she explained. “Because the transfer of stress from adult to child is real, and especially when it comes to food. And so I think I would rewrite how they explained what healthy is and how to obtain that, and to also celebrate [D.J.] for who she is before any changes.”

On two recent episodesof theirFull Houserewatch podcast,How Rude, Tanneritos!,hostsJodie SweetinandAndrea Barbertook a close look at a particularly touchy episode from the series, 1990’s “Shape Up.”

The season 4 episode followedCandace Cameron Bure’s D.J. Tanner on her quest to lose weight before a pool party; she skipped meals and worked out, nearly collapsing before any adults noticed what was going on.

“It was very uncomfortable to watch,” Barber, 48, said. “It made me really feel for Candace too having to carry this storyline.”

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE on Feb. 7 at the 32nd Annual Movieguide Awards in Hollywood, Bure, 48, shared her own feelings on the episode.

Candace Cameron Bure on the ‘Full House’ episode ‘Shape Up’ in 1990.ABC/MAX

Candace Cameron Bure in Full House ‘Shape Up’ Episode

ABC/MAX

“It was a time even in my life that I had kind of gone through my own little weight loss journey and I think the writers, they were always taking stories that were true to us as people and kind of writing them into our characters,” she said. “And so they were really respectful and asked about that story and I thought it was a good story to tell.”

On the podcast, Barber noted that at the time, series creatorJeff Franklinconsulted with Bure’s parents and got them to sign off on the storyline. But, she said, that “doesn’t negate the fact that it’s a spotlight on a teenage girl and her insecurity.”

“I know it was something that she was sensitive about,” Sweetin, 43, agreed. “It’s hard when it’s something that you’re really dealing with to be like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna pretend that this is fine and that I can resolve it,’ you know?”

Looking back, Bure said she’s “not uncomfortable” talking about the episode, but realizes “times change, the social norms shift.”

Candace Cameron Bure at the 2025 Movieguide Awards in Hollywood.Michael Tullberg/Getty

Candace Cameron Bure attends the 32nd annual Movieguide Awards Gala at AVALON Hollywood on February 07, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Michael Tullberg/Getty

“People look back on certain things and they could say, ‘Oh well that’s politically incorrect now,’ or, ‘You can’t talk about that now.’ But I think for the time and day it was really good advice from Aunt Becky,” she added, referring to a moment whenLori Loughlin’s character suggests a balanced diet with less junk food.

“Listen,” she continued, “I’m just happy people are still watchingFull House,so if they want to talk about it, go ahead and talk about it.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

On a continuation of the podcast chat,Barber and Sweetin spoke to nutritionist and formerFuller Houseproduction coordinatorMelanie Samuels, who agreed that the Tanner adults could have done a better job helping D.J. before her crash diet got out of control.

Asked what she would change about the episode, Samuels said that she would “rewrite the adult script.”

“Maybe having more of a check on how they talk about their own bodies,” she explained. “Because the transfer of stress from adult to child is real, and especially when it comes to food. And so I think I would rewrite how they explained what healthy is and how to obtain that, and to also celebrate [D.J.] for who she is before any changes.”

source: people.com