Mark Labbett, known as “The Beast” on The Chase, has opened up about his impressive three-stone weight loss journey. The 59-year-old was prompted to overhaul his lifestyle after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Speaking on Loose Women, Mark, from Tiverton, revealed that he was inspired by his co-star Paul Sinha’s successful management of the same condition through weight loss. He said: “It was the diabetes,” and “My colleague Paul Sinha also got the diagnosis and he rapidly lost two stone and he went from being diabetic to pre or non-diabetic.”
To achieve his weight loss, Mark drastically cut down on sugar and increased his physical activity, largely due to running around after his active child. He added: “I’m still eating very well – I’m just cutting out sugar because of the type two diabetes.”
The importance of maintaining a balanced diet. The quizmaster appeared on This Morning last November, discussing his life before fame as an ‘overweight maths teacher’. The 59-year-old has been open about his dramatic lifestyle overhaul that led to him losing a significant amount of weight.
Mark first graced our screens on the ITV quiz show back in 2009 and has been candid about his weight loss journey, which reached its peak during the 2020 lockdown. In 2003, when he was a full-time teacher, Mark weighed in at his heaviest – 29 stone.
After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2016, he had to make drastic changes to his lifestyle to prevent further health deterioration. Thanks to a healthier diet and improved exercise regime, he’s since shed an impressive 10 stone. He’s now the “smallest” he’s been in 30 years, having lost around 64kg, while still standing tall at 6ft 6ins.
On Loose Women he said: “I found at the end of the evening instead of going to the fridge for late night snacking, all I could do was collapse on the bed.” His pet Labrador Retriever, Baloo, also played a pivotal role in his weight loss journey with long walks.
A major change in his diet, particularly reducing sugar and carbs, contributed to what he calls a “complete nutrition overhaul”.