'I'm a 26-year-old woman!' Zoella defends her racy new image as she lounges on a bed in her underwear for photo shoot

  • YouTube superstar posed in skimpy lingerie for Blogosphere Magazine
  • The Brighton-based 26-year-old has almost 10million Instagram followers 
  • Previously raised eyebrows when she posted a selfie in her lingerie 
  • Says criticism during 'difficult' time left her feeling 'suffocated'

By Kerry Mcdermott For Mailonline

Published: 12:51 EST, 22 November 2016 | Updated: 21:04 EST, 22 November 2016

It's a world away from the wholesome image that made her famous as a teen blogger. 

But seven years after she first burst onto the scene, Zoella's latest photo shoot, in which she lounges on a bed in just her underwear, is further evidence of the teen idol's move towards an increasingly grown-up image. 

The now 26-year-old blogger, who raised eyebrows earlier this year when she shared a selfie in which she wore just a t-shirt and Calvin Klein underwear with her millions of young fans, defends her changing image in the clip. 

The YouTube star, 26, says she went through a 'difficult' time when the press questioned the pictures she shared with her young fan base

The fact that they are 'real and accessible' is a key part of YouTubers appeal, Zoella says 

This snap that

Zoella is seen wearing nothing but a grey sweater and a pair of black Calvin Klein knickers for one shot, in an apparent nod to the social media snap that first caused the controversy back in March.

The blogger, real name Zoe Suggs, says she felt 'suffocated' by critics who pointed out the impressionable age of her followers, adding: 'I'm also a 26-year-old woman'.

'A while back, I did have a bit of a time where everything was so difficult,' she says in the behind the scenes footage from her shoot for Blogosphere magazine. 

'I felt like I was suffocated. Other creators saying that I wasn’t doing this, or I should be doing this... or press saying "you have young teen viewers".

'I was like yes, but I am also a 26-year old woman.'

'I am also a 26-year-old woman,' Zoe says of the controversy sparked when she shared a selfie with her millions of followers in which she was wearing her underwear 

Zoella's willingness to share her life online has won her millions of followers 

Zoe says she knows there is 'no hate' in the attention from followers but adds that there has to be a boundary 

The YouTube star is seen in behind the scenes footage from a shoot for Blogosphere 

The pretty star gives an insight into the attention she gets from fans in a behind the scenes clip

'Part of what YouTubers are is... real and accessible,' Zoe says in the video. 

'This is our house and this is my room and this is where I actually sleep and this is my dog...

'People love watching other people living their lives. I love stuff like that.' 

The Brighton-based blogger says being 'real and accessible' is part of YouTubers' appeal 

Zoella, who has nearly 10million followers on Instagram, wore a denim jacket in some of the shots for Blogosphere Magazine 

The blogger is moving towards an increasingly grown-up image as her fan base grows 

Zoe talks of open-top buses stopping outside her house in the video clip uploaded to YouTube

The star, whose boyfriend Alfie Deyes is also a YouTube star talks of the attention from her fans in the footage. 

'We get people outside our house on a daily basis,' she says.

'Open-top buses come round so if they’re not knocking on the door, they’re looking in, taking photos.

'For me my house has to feel like my safe space. It’s difficult because you know they’re not doing it out of spite and there’s no hate, they just love what you do and they want to meet you. 

'But at the same time if you don’t create that boundary there is no line.'

 

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