Kelly Osbourne 'Struggling with Grief' as Reality Star hits back at 'Cruel' and 'Dehumanzing' Comments Sparked by Latest Backlash over Shockingly-Thin Appearance

Kelly Osbourne's shockingly-thin appearance could be linked to grief, pals of the reality star have claimed.

RadarOnline.com can reveal Kelly, 41, has caused further concern for her well-being after displaying her tiny frame at The Brit Awards on Saturday, British music's biggest night of the year.

Kelly and mom Sharon Osbourne, 73, picked up Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of late rocker father Ozzy Osbourne, but once again her slender figure and gaunt-looking face grabbed the headlines and became the talk of social media.

The reality star hit back by releasing a statement on her Instagram, writing: "There is a special kind of cruelty in harming someone who is clearly going through something.

"Kicking me while I’m down, doubting my pain, spreading my struggles as gossip, and turning your back when I need support and love most.

"None of it proves strength; it only reveals a profound absence of compassion and character."

Kelly, 41, said she is "currently going through the hardest time in (her) life" and "should not even have to defend (herself)."

"But I won't sit here and allow myself to be dehumanised in such a way!" she concluded.

Kelly wore a figure-hugging, black, floor-length gown as she posed alongside the former America’s Got Talent judge, 73, on the red carpet in Manchester on Saturday night. Less than a week prior to her Brit Awards appearance, Kelly addressed critics for attacking her thinner appearance.

She wrote: "Literally can’t believe how disgusting some human beings truly are!” she wrote on her Instagram Stories February 23 alongside a screenshot of a negative comment from an online hater.

"No one deserves this sort of abuse!"

Kelly is a shadow of her former self according to sources, who claim the loss of her father has hit her hard.

An source told The Daily Mail: "Kelly used to be the loudest person in the room, always giving her opinion, but now she's very shy and comes across anxious, you can see she’s just holding herself together.

"Sharon seems in a much better place. But it's clear Kelly is still dealing with a lot of grief," said another source.

Watching Kelly and Sharon giving their speech at the ceremony on Saturday, body language expert Inbaal Honigman says Kelly is "emotionally exhausted."

She told the Dally Star: "Kelly guides Sharon towards, her face pale and ashen. Sharon seems to struggle to focus at first, briefly acknowledging people around her, while Kelly gently takes control holding her mother by the arm and leading her forward."

"Focused on the task at hand, Kelly’s expression is stricken and drained, almost entirely devoid of emotion. Her downcast face suggests she has no tears left. She has grieved deeply and so publicly that she appears emotionally exhausted. Even when Kelly attempts a smile, it barely lifts her features."

She added: "Kelly’s half-smile reveals a swirl of emotions. She seems torn between sorrow and warmth, unsure whether to lean fully into her sadness or allow herself to feel the happiness in the memories, perhaps experiencing both at once.

"That half-smile suggests that, for now, half-happiness is all she can manage."