Mark Labbett, also known as The Beast from The Chase, has left fans in awe with his remarkable weight loss. The quizmaster appeared on ITV’s This Morning late last year, 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 shedding a significant amount of weight, and viewers were quick to praise him. “Mark Labbett has lost some weight – looking good,” one X user commented.
Another remarked: “Wow @marklabbett has lost so much weight, but he looks great,’ remarked another. One commented: “Mark looks incredible after dropping the weight. Watching his interview he seems like such a lovely guy.”
Labbett 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. So, how much weight did Labbett lose?
In 2003, when he was a full-time teacher, Labbett tipped the scales at his heaviest weight of 29 stone, reports the Daily Record.
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 dropped an impressive 10 stone.
He’s now the “smallest” he’s been in 30 years after losing around 64kg, while still standing tall at 6ft 6in. But how did Labbett achieve this weight loss?
Labbett began his impressive weight loss journey during the first Covid lockdown in 2020. Having already lost around three stone prior to the pandemic, the closure of nurseries and the need to keep up with his energetic toddler led to further weight loss.
Previously speaking 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 Labrador Retriever Baloo also played a significant role in his transformation, as he revealed on ITV’s The Pet Show with Dermot O’Leary and Joanna Page. He 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.”
A diet low in sugar and carbs was key to his “complete nutrition overhaul”.
Despite warnings from doctors about the risks of gastric band surgery due to his body’s sugar digestion process, Labbett did not undergo any surgical procedures. He also noticed continued weight loss after experiencing Covid-like symptoms such as loss of taste and smell, which reduced his appetite.
