Chase star Mark Labbett lost 10st by making just 3 'sensible' changes

14 May 2024 , 11:01

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Mark has lost 10 stone in the last eight years (Image: ITV)

Professional quizmaster Mark Labbett has lost an impressive 10 stone since he first joined The Chase.

Mark, aka The Beast, has shocked fans with his outstanding knowledge on-screen and wowed them with his weight loss transformation off-air. The 58-year-old quiz boffin made the decision to completely overhaul his eating habits after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2016.

Now, he's an avid gym-goer and enjoys working out with his glam presenter girlfriend, Hayley Palmer. Earlier this year, Hayley gushed about Mark on Instagram and wrote: "I'm so proud of [Mark]. He started to come to the gym with me in the mornings and he is doing so well. He is down 124 kilos/ 19.5 stone."

The Chaser lost weight by going to the gym and eating less

He works out regularly with his proud girlfriend Hayley (Splash News / SplashNews.com)

The star, who is 6ft6, used to be 29 stone at his heaviest. After receiving his diabetes diagnosis eight years ago, Mark had a wake-up call and decided to lose weight, shedding a whopping 10 stone in total. He's since credited the three key changes that have helped him get fitter, including going to the gym regularly, eating less and walking his dog.

The quizzer has denied having a gastric sleeve fitted and previously explained that he made the decision to hit the gym and build a strict exercise regime instead. He told The Sun : "I was tempted by the gastric band but a good friend of mine who's a GP, said my problem is sugar, I have a sweet tooth."

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He continued: "A gastric band is useless for me because sugar metabolises quite quickly, so I've done it the old fashion way by eating a bit less and I've tried to go to the gym." Mark, who was previously in danger of high blood pressure, has gone from a clothes size 5XL to XL in the last few years.

As well as smaller portion sizes and moving his body more, Mark also credits his dog for helping him get fit. He calls his golden retriever, Baloo, his 'personal trainer'. On ITV 's The Pet Show, Mark said: "I was walking him around the fields, taking me places... I think he's helped a lot, simply because I'm doing more activity."

Mark credits his girlfriend Hayley will giving him a new lease of life after he split with the mum of his son, Katie, in 2020, which left him devastated. The couple were married for six years after meeting on social media in 2010 and they later discovered they were actually second cousins. He met Hayley at the National Television Awards in 2021.

Nia Dalton