How 'mixed-weight' relationships have been on our screens long before Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton... but sexist norms meant nobody made a fuss when the woman was slimmer than her partner

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From willowy Marge Simpson and her doughnut-loving husband Homer to beloved TV dad Phil and his wife Vivian in Fresh Prince of Bel Air, 'mixed-weight' couples on screen are such an intergral part of popular culture, they've barely merited comment. 

So it's not wonder business magazine Forbes has sparked fury with an opinion piece about Nicola Coughlan's on-screen romance with Luke Newton in Bridgerton, saying the world 'is still not ready' to see people of differing body types in racy scenes on screen.

The piece, which was written by Virgie Tovar, a 'leading expert on weight bias', has caused a furious backlash for its analysis of Lady Penelope's relationship with Colin Bridgerton. 

One user noted on social media: 'Aside from how ridiculous this whole headline is let's just remember that 'mixed weight relationships' have been very common on TV with one significant difference than the one noted here like it's literally a sitcom trope.'

Though Bridgerton may have opened up a new perspective to the conversation, so-called 'mixed-weight relationships' have featured on screens for many years. 

Many iconic TV couples - including Homer and Marge Simpson, Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian in the Fresh Prince and Lois and Peter in Family Guy - have weight differences. 

Forbes received backlash following an opinion piece discussing the 'mixed-weight' relationship between Penelope and Colin Bridgerton in the hit Netflix show

'Mixed-weight' relationships are certainly not a new thing, but historically the 'larger' person has been male instead of female.  

Only now that the larger character is female has a label been put on the 'trope', even though Penelope's weight doesn't feature as a major part of the storyline (instead she is depicted as a witty and clever writer with an observant eye for society's gossip).

While Penelope's body type has prompted much debate, when the man is larger he is tended to be viewed as a source of comedy - and this is accepted by society. 

Body positivity and mindset champion Danielle Broadbent told FEMAIL that the 'ridiculous double standards' in film and TV mean that 'sexism' and 'sizeism' are huge issues in the industry. 

Body positivity and mindset champion Danielle Broadbent told FEMAIL that there are 'ridiculous double standards' in film and TV

She said: 'Mixed weight relationships are nothing new, in fact, they have been around and dominating our screens for years but it seems to be always the woman who has to be slim – we seem to have a real issue here with not only sexism but sizeism. 

'No one at all seems to have an issue when it's the man who isn't rocking a six pack.'

She added that when the man is 'heavier' than the woman, it is seen as 'acceptable and realistic', but the reverse is still viewed as 'unrealistic and implausible'.  

Danielle said: 'Our society has had it drilled into them that to be classed as a beautiful woman you must fit a certain body type – which sadly isn't the one of Penelope. 

'How can the audience be expected to believe that the perfect, dashing, wealthy and very charming Colin Bridgerton would be attracted to plus size Penelope?'

Here, FEMAIL explores all the famous couples where the man is of a bigger size. 

Jack Black and Kate Winslet in The Holiday (2006)

Iris (Kate Winslet) and Miles (Jack Black) in The Holiday, who fall in love after a house swap

Classic Christmas film The Holiday has a double plot line with two love stories after Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) initiate a 'house swap' for the holidays. 

Amanda, who moves to Iris's isolated cottage in England, soon falls in love with her brother Graham, played by Jude Law. 

Meanwhile Iris exchanges her dreary life in England for a busy luxurious one in Los Angeles, meeting Miles (Jack Black). 

While reception to the film has tended to focus on Jude Law's dashing good looks, people have still gushed over the love story between Miles and Iris. 

It is a prime example of the male character being the larger of the two, but criticism has focused on their sweet relationship rather than making comments on appearance.  

After bonding over a shared love of classic movies, Iris and Miles in love.  

Jack Black and Kate Winslet starred in the 2006 film, with many viewers loving the 'sweet' relationship

Reaction to the film has often focused on the romance between Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Graham (Jude Law), pictured top row

A Collider opinion piece published only this week was titled 'Forget Jack Black, you're all sleeping on Jack Black in The Holiday'.  

Writer Samantha Graves noted: 'Just how perfect Jack Black is in it, and how we are all sleeping on him as the true romantic dream man of the movie.

'I get it, it can be hard to look past Jack Black's goofy nature and see his character as the leading man, but if you're able to, you may just find that Miles has been the man of your dreams all along.'

In an interview with Coming Soon, director Nancy Myers previously said: 'I'm aware he's not Clark Gable, he's not tall dark and handsome, but he's adorable, he's lovable. 

'It's my way of saying this is the right kind of guy, this is what most guys look like if they're lucky, he's so adorable, and why not? 

'Everybody has a heart and deserves to fall in love and he should get a great girl. So I fixed him up with Kate Winslet.' 

Indeed Miles is soon shown to be thoughtful, composing a tune for Iris's friend and is even willing to fly thousands of miles to go on a date with her - and this is how he is remembered. 

Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl in Knocked Up (2007)

In Knocked-Up, Alison Scott, played by Katherine Heigl, gets pregnant after a one-night stand with Ben Stone (Seth Rogen)

A year after The Holiday, Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl explored the 'mixed-weight' trope once more. 

In Knocked-Up, Ben Stone (Rogen) meets Alison Scott (Heigl) at a bar, they get drunk and one thing leads to another. 

But Ben gets the shock of his life when his one night stand shows up on his doorstep eight weeks later to tell him she's pregnant. 

Ben is depicted as a 'slob', while Alison has a successful career but is seen as too 'uptight', and she's expected to 'loosen up' for him.  

'You're prettier than I am!' Ben even says before they sleep together. 

However the two leads fell out considerably after the film, as in a 2008 interview with Vanity Fair, Heigl branded the film 'a little sexist'. 

She said: '[The movie] paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys.

Heigl and Rogen (pictured in the film) fell out after it aired, when she called it a 'little bit sexist'

'It exaggerated the characters, and I had a hard time with it, on some days. I'm playing such a bitch; why is she being such a killjoy? Why is this how you're portraying women?'

Her comments were met with blacklash, with many calling her 'ungrateful' for a role that helped propel her to fame. 

In 2016 Rogen responded on Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show: 'We were funny together. I was having a really good time, and then when I heard afterward that she didn't like it, that she seemed to not like the process, and she did not like the end product either, I think when that happens — also your trust feels somewhat betrayed.' 

He joked: 'I'm insulted that just the implication of that a woman would f**k me is sexist.' 

Heigl got blacklisted from Hollywood for over a decade after venting about the 2007 film. 

After slamming Knocked Up and her character's storyline in Grey's Anatomy, she didn't book any major roles until 10 years later on the TV series Suits.

Jonah Hill and Amber Stevens in 22 Jump Street (2014)

The relationship between Amber and Jonah's characters is seen as comedic, as she's seen as being out of his league

When the male is the larger character, the relationship is often accepted by society and passed off through humour. 

An example of this is 22 Jump Street (2014), the follow-up to blockbuster film 21 Jump Street. 

Amber Stevens plays Jonah Hill's (Schmidt) college love interest Maya - and the running joke throughout the film is that she's out of his league. 

Maya, an art student, lives down the hall from the girl whose death the cops are investigating - and gets to know Schmidt when he asks her for more information about the case. 

Schmidt introduces himself to Maya with a poetry performance, feigning an interest in slam poetry in a comical scene. 

After they sleep together, the humorous element in their relationship is emphasised once more as he accidentally makes a joke to her father about 'getting laid'.  

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play two police officers in blockbuster 21 Jump Street

Stevens said in an interview with Refinery 29 that Schmidt's 'character' is what women find attractive about him. 

She commented: 'I think she likes him because her first impression was that slam poetry...it's embarrassing, but he's being vulnerable. 

'And, it's funny, and that's what women find sexy. It's all about your character.' 

In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Jonah Hill reflected: 'I became famous in my late teens and then spent most of my young adult life listening to people say that I was fat and gross and unattractive. 

'I came in goofy comedies…(as) this kind of curly haired, overweight kid.

'Everyone had their own opinion on what I should be, how they could speak to me, how they could treat me.'

Phil and Vivian in Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990s) 

Daphne Reid as Vivian Banks and James Avery as Uncle Phil in the Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Iconic couple Phil and Vivian in Fresh Prince of Bel Air have a weight difference that was once again never much of a talking point.

Vivian was originally played by Janet Hubert Whitten, before the role was taken over by Daphne Reid for the final three seasons of the show.  

Stern Uncle Phil (James Avery) is a wealthy lawyer who takes Will into his home and eventually comes to think of him as his own son. 

He is often cited as 'one of the best TV dads of all time' and he and Vivian share four children. 

Janet stepped down from the show in 1993 amid reports of a feud between her and Will Smith. 

Janet had publicly held Will responsible for her exit from the show, calling him an 'egomaniac' during a 2011 interview where she said a reunion was off the table.

'There will never be a reunion...as I will never do anything with an a**hole like Will Smith,' she declared to TMZ, adding that 'This constant reunion thing will never ever happen in my lifetime unless there is an apology, which he doesn't know the word.'

In a reunion special with HBO Max in 2020, they finally ended their feud. 

'I just wanted to know one thing: why, why so far? You guys went so far. I lost so much,' she said to Will of their feud. 'How do we heal that?' 

Will suggested that he should 'know your story,' and Janet said: 'You have no idea,' adding that the experience 'was insane' for her.

Alfonso Ribeiro, Joseph Marcell, Will Smith, Janet Hubert, Tatyana Ali, James Avery, Karyn Parsons in The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air

While filming season three Janet was pregnant with her son Elijah - and on the reunion special she alleged she was in a 'very abusive marriage' at the time.

At that point Janet was with her first husband James Whitten, whom she ultimately divorced in 1994, the year after she left The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.

She said in a confessional that when she was working during her tough pregnancy: 'I was no longer laughing, smiling, joking, because there were things that were going on that nobody knew about. The cast had no idea what was going on.'

'You know, during that time of her pregnancy I wasn't sensitive. I wasn't perceptive,' Will admitted in his own confessional. 'And you know, now that I've had three kids I've learned some things that I did not know at the time and I would do things very differently, but I can see where I made the set very difficult for Janet.'

Janet also denied the reports that she was fired, saying she left over a 'really bad deal' that limited the amount of work she could do on the sitcom while also hemming her into a non-compete arrangement.

Tony and Carmela Soprano (early 2000s)

James Gandolfini and Edie Falco as Tony and Carmela in HBO hit The Sopranos

Tony and Carmela (James Gandolfini and Edie Falco) famously had a difficult on-screen marriage in the hit HBO series The Sopranos. 

Tony is often seen as a 'monster' of a character, who made their relationship strained due to his constant infidelities and dealings with the Mafia. 

The three-time Emmy winner's personal struggles have been chronicled often, with HBO executives admitting they were worried he might die from alcohol and drug binges before the series' end.

The Sopranos was considered by many to be groundbreaking television, and ran from 1999 until 2007 on HBO. 

Gandolfini was the intense and charismatic star of the show throughout its entire 1999-2007 run, but he had battled alcohol and substance abuse issues and died of a heart attack in 2013 aged just 51. 

The actor's death saddened the world, and caused ripples throughout Hollywood.

At the time of his death, he was married to his second wife, actress Deborah Lin, with whom he had a daughter Liliane, now aged nine. 

His son Michael, who was 14 when he found his father dead in a Rome hotel room, played a young Tony Soprano in the HBO prequel film Many Saints of Newark, released in October.

In an interview with The Guardian in 2019, director David Chase revealed that he doesn't believe The Sopranos could be made today. 

He said: 'Tony Soprano is too fat. He's too crude.' 

Cartoons: Family Guy, The Simpsons, The Flintstones

Homer Simpson is famously bigger than his wife Marge - and is opposed to all forms of exercise

Even in cartoons, the standard format for couples seems to be a 'mixed-weight' relationship - always where the man is larger. 

Family Guy, The Simpsons and The Flintstones - all TV staples - feature these couples, and have helped them to become a staple in popular culture.  

Here too the trope is seen as a source for humour, as Homer, who famously likes to gorge on beer and doughnuts, is married to slim Marge.  

In a 1995 episode, Homer even becomes 'king-size', as he refuses to join in the nuclear plant's new exercise programme and decides to gain 300 pounds so he can claim disability and work from home. 

He later returns to work after he stops a nuclear explosion by blocking a chimney with his large stomach - and boss Mr Burns pays for him to have a liposuction.  

Fred and Wilma Flintstone also helped cement the 'mixed-weight' trope on TV

Fat Families presenter Steve Miller once wrote to Simpsons' creator Matt Groening asking him to be put on a diet. 

Speaking to Newsbeat, he said: 'The Simpsons is fabulous but Homer Simpson is setting a wrong example of being fat and happy at the expense of being potentially quite poorly.

'We have a mega issue with obesity and Homer is wobbly and porky.

'I want [Matt Groening] to consider putting Homer on a regime that promotes the message that health rocks.'

Danielle Broadbent commented: 'Old familiar shows such Family Guy, The Simpsons, The Sopranos, The Flintstones - all of those shows/films show a 'mixed weight relationship' within the leading characters but the man is heavier than the woman. 

'There really are countless fictional couples in film/television where the male weighs more than the female.'