Real Housewives of Melbourne’s Lydia Schiavello denies Photoshopping co-star Chyka Keebaugh

Real Housewives of Melbourne star Lydia Schiavello has offered a puzzling response after fans accused her of maliciously Photoshopping an image of her co-star Chyka Keebaugh to make her look heavier.

The 50-year-old socialite claimed on Wednesday she did not edit the photo herself but had instead been sent it by someone else, and naively uploaded it to Instagram because she thought it ‘looked great’.

‘Hi Chyka,’ she wrote on Instagram. ‘I was sent many old photos of previous seasons of Real Housewives of Melbourne.

Spot the difference: Real Housewives of Melbourne’s Lydia Schiavello has denied Photoshopping an image of her co-star Chyka Keebaugh to make her look heavier, instead claiming she was sent the doctored image by someone else.

‘I thought this was a great photo of us all and it’s something we can’t do now. It was never my intention to offend anyone. Sending love.’

After deleting the post from her grid, she shared another image featuring Chyka looking incredibly svelte in a leopard-print dress, captioned: ‘Last post deleted. My apology to all.

‘After being fat-shamed I would not intentionally do that to anyone.’

She then shared a final post of the pair looking glamorous once again, captioned: ‘Oldie but a goodie! I hope everyone in this lockdown are looking after themselves.

‘A walk, a podcast, a great book, cooking great food, plenty of water all feed the soul. Sending love to all.’

Denial: On Thursday, Lydia shared a statement denying she had ever doctored the image – instead claiming she was sent the photo by someone else, and naively uploaded it because she thought it ‘looked great’

Apology: After deleting the post from her grid, she shared another image featuring Chyka looking incredible and svelte in a leopard-print dress, captioned: ‘Last post deleted. My apology to all’

The debate first started on Monday when Lydia shared a throwback photo from 2014 which showed her and Chyka with fellow Housewives Pettifleur Berenger and Janet Roach.

But eagle-eyed fans noticed Chyka looked larger than usual around the torso, so went through the archives to find the original photo from seven years ago.

In the original photo uploaded in 2014, Chyka was noticeably slimmer, leading fans to conclude that Lydia – or someone else – had used a warp tool to make her look fat.

‘I thought this was a great photo of us all and it’s something we can’t do now. It was never my intention to offend anyone. Sending love,’ Lydia said of the image

‘Dying at the Photoshop. Poor Chyka doesn’t deserve the extra 47kg, Lydia,’ one fan commented, while another added: ‘Someone please find the original of this photo and brings justice for poor Chyka!’

‘Is definitely Photoshopped. Look at Pettifleur’s coat, that is not how that outfit sits. I love all these ladies but Lydia this is definitely not the original,’ another pointed out.

But Lydia quickly denied she had retouched the image herself, commenting: ‘It’s an old photo Season 2 no Photoshop. I wouldn’t do that after being fat-shamed myself.’

‘How bad is that’: In the original photo posted in 2014, Chyka was noticeably slimmer, leading fans to conclude that Lydia – or someone else – had used a warp tool to make her look fat

Denial: Lydia denied she had retouched the image herself, commenting: ‘It’s an old photo Season 2 no Photoshop. I wouldn’t do that after being fat-shamed myself x’

A close inspection of Lydia’s post reveals Chyka’s stomach looks very stretched out compared to the original photo.

Pettifleur’s top also appears smudged and blurred, which is a tell-tale sign a warp tool was used.

Chyka told Daily Mail Australia she was ‘not really sure’ why Lydia had shared the old photo in the first place, saying it was a ‘really strange thing to do’.

‘I haven’t reached out to Lydia,’ she said.

‘We haven’t actually spoken to each other for at least four years so I’m not really sure where this came from. I think it’s a really strange thing to do.

‘There’s so much turmoil, horror, and sadness in the world at the moment – no one really wants to see this. I truly believe in being positive because that’s how we will all get through – not being derogatory to another woman.’

Details: A close inspection of Lydia’s post reveals Chyka’s stomach looks very stretched out compared to the original photo. Pettifleur Berenger’s (right) top also appears smudged and blurred, which is a tell-tale sign a warp tool was used

Chyka’s daughter, plus-size model Chessie Keebaugh, slammed the post on Monday, sharing a statement on Instagram in which she labeled Photoshop ‘pathetic’.

‘A grown woman posted this yesterday,’ she wrote.

‘Seven years on and the worst editing job I’ve ever seen. I laughed when I was shown [it] because it’s truly the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen.

‘But I actually woke up incredibly mad that in 2021 a woman went out of her way to bring another woman down. Yes, it’s my mother, but taking a step back from that.

‘This is so high school and actively malicious, I’m truly in shock. What fiftysomething woman sits at home morphing herself to look thin and the woman next to her large?’

She added: ‘I worry for your mindset. It poses serious questions around your ego. Are you that desperately in need of attention and your ego stroked that you’re willing to do that at another person’s expense?’

Family: Chyka’s daughter, plus-size model Chessie Keebaugh, slammed the post on Monday, sharing a statement on Instagram in which she labeled the Photoshop ‘pathetic’

Fuming: ‘A grown woman posted this yesterday,’ she wrote. ‘Seven years on and the worst editing job I’ve ever seen. I laughed when I was shown [it] because it’s truly pathetic’

Of course, it is possible Lydia may not have realized the image was Photoshopped when she shared it with her Instagram followers.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Lydia for further comment.

The two women have known each other for years before their latest public spat, having both appeared on Foxtel reality show Real Housewives of Melbourne.

Chyka starred in the first four seasons before leaving in 2016, while Lydia announced she would not be returning for season five earlier this year.

‘I love the show, I love the girls and all the people involved from Foxtel to the production house Matchbox, however the changes of this world caused me to pause and re-evaluate my life,’ Lydia said in a statement.

‘I will miss the camaraderie the interaction with viewers and the challenges that my fellow cast members presented. I look forward to spending quality time with my husband, family, and friends.’

Reality star: Chyka (pictured in 2016) starred on the first three seasons of The Real Housewives of Melbourne and made a guest appearance on season four