Acid Attack Survivor Katie Piper Responds to Cruel Trolls at the NTAs: "This Is the Life God Intended for Me"

Katie Piper, the television presenter and acid attack survivor, is speaking out after facing a wave of cruel comments about her appearance following the National Television Awards - and her response leaned directly on her faith.

In an emotional video posted to Instagram, Piper told fans she'd noticed a fresh round of unkind remarks about her looks in the wake of the show. "I know I'm not the prettiest," she said, fighting back tears. "I am a normal person, I am a real person. I'm just out here trying to do my best, trying to live my life, be a wife, be a mum, be a daughter."

Piper said the comments largely came from other women and that she struggled to understand the impulse to target strangers online. "This is your digital footprint, this is your legacy," she said, addressing the people behind the messages directly.

But she made clear the abuse hasn't shaken who she believes she is. "This is my life, this is the life that God intended for me, and I'm living it to the fullest," Piper said.

Piper, 42, survived a horrific 2008 attack in which her then-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, arranged for an accomplice to throw acid in her face, leaving her blind in one eye and requiring years of reconstructive surgery. Both Lynch and his accomplice were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Since then, Piper has become a prominent advocate against domestic violence and online cruelty, and has spoken publicly - including on the BBC's "Songs of Praise" - about the faith she found during her recovery.

Her post has since been flooded with messages of support from fans and fellow celebrities.