Survivor reality star and influencer Nihal Candan, who was in prison on money laundering charges, dies from anorexia in Turkey

Nihal Candan, 30, was released from prison in Turkey last year on health grounds after her weight began to drop alarmingly.

She died on June 21 after nearly a month in hospital, weighing just 23kg, and just days after her birthday, when her heart simply stopped beating and she could not be revived, according to local media.

In the past two years, say reports, Nihal had lost 37kg, more than half her bodyweight.

In 2023, she and her sister Bahar were arrested on charges of fraud and money laundering, said to be connected to a scam involving discounted car sales. Friends say her anorexia only started behind bars and criticised the harsh regime she endured.

Her sister Bahar posted when she was admitted to hospital close to death: "My sister was taken to the hospital, she is anorexic. My sister is dying. She could not cope with what she experienced. I hope you can feel shame for destroying a young person like this and ruining her life."

Nihal had starred on a number of reality TV shows in Turkey, including Survivor, and was also a social media star with nearly one million Instagram followers.

She shot to fame in 2014 with the TV competition This Style is Mine and later appeared frequently in Turkish media with her sister.

But there was a heartbreaking side to her celebrity and she once posted she would pay $ 200 a day for a friend to simply hang out with her.

Story: NewsX