Fans of fitness guru Joe Wicks have seen a lot, lot more of him recently... and he’s happy to explain why.
With baby number three on the way, Joe eased off the exercise and enjoyed slap-up meals, ice cream and gin and tonics.
He piled on a few pounds and embraced the new look. It’s his “dad bod”, if you like.
And Joe – who kept millions in shape with his lockdown workouts – reckons people relate more to his relaxed attitude.
“I don’t have to be shredded 365 days a year to be inspiring,” insists Joe, 36.
“And if I’m really honest about things, I think people like that. When I have a bit of weight on me people relate to it because no one is bang on it all year round.”
Posting pictures of midnight snacks of marmalade on toast and proudly displaying his bloated belly, Joe says he wants to show he’s just like the rest of us.
He declares: “I think the reason people do connect with me is because I share those ups and downs, I share the months I’m not training or if I’m having a bit of a blowout and people feel that is quite a human thing.”
Joe makes a point of not weighing himself but the picture on the far right is in stark contrast to an earlier selfie displaying his ripped physique.
He says the key thing is getting the balance right, adding: “It’s not just about being lean, because I’ve tried that.
“I’ve done that whole Men’s Health thing. But to be that lean year round, it’s difficult because you can’t really enjoy everything you want.
“I can’t look like that and be able to have ice creams and gin and tonics and eat out. It’s not that enjoyable, you know.
“So I actually think I’ve got a much better balance now with my food and my training. I’m just happy as I am.”
Born on a council estate in Epsom, Surrey, Joe has racked up a £14.5million fortune.
He became a household name as The Body Coach thanks to his non-preaching fitness and healthy eating cookbooks.
But he became an even bigger star during lockdown, with his sanity-saving PE With Joe YouTube videos. Millions of schoolkids joined in his morning sessions and he was awarded an MBE in March in recognition of his work.
Joe has also written a children’s book and fronted a recent documentary about his parents’ mental health battle and how it impacted his tough upbringing. Joe’s dad Gary, 62, was addicted to heroin, while his mum Raquela, 56, lived with an eating disorder and OCD.
He says his passion for fitness is not about sculpting the perfect body. It is about getting people to be active – and improving mental health as much as physical.
Joe explains: “Now, rather than focusing on being really ripped, the thing that I focus on is, ‘Can I get people just moving and feeling good?’ I just focus on that.
“It used to be all about body image and it is very scary and quite intimidating. I have just tried to make exercise fun and I just break it down and say, ‘You know what, you can still be fit and exercise, you don’t have to be in a gym doing really intense stuff.’ It can be much more fun at home with the kids.”
And Joe is all about the fun. His energy and childlike enthusiasm for life has made him a national treasure. Some fans even offer up his favourite treats.
“People bring me gifts,” he smiles. “Kids bring me jars of marmalade or chocolate bars and some of the adults give me a bottle of gin and tonic because they know I love the stuff. It’s a lovely thing to do.”
While Joe is famed for his work ethic, he enjoys the down time too.
He loves nothing more than to pig out in restaurants in Los Angeles, where he also has a home. He spends the rest of his time at his £4.4million mansion in Surrey. He reveals: “I have been burnt out in the past so I always factor in breaks.
“I work really intensively and I have that period where I’m flat out, but I’m really good at planning my time so that I do get time to spend with kids. We’ve got a trip coming up to the Maldives.”
Joe is taking a fitness show on the road next week – and will be much fitter after a cardio and weights regime.
He and model wife Rosie, 31, have been enjoying a babymoon in Ibiza ahead of their new arrival, due in six weeks.
They married in 2019 and have Indie, almost four, and Marley, two.
Joe beams: “Can you believe that – No3 on the way? Yeah, it’s weird when I think that I met Rosie six years ago and everything’s changed so much in that time.
“Indy is four this month and it’s mad how quickly life is moving. But yeah, I love the thought of having a big family.
“And when I do these tours, I see families of four or five kids and it looks amazing. I love it when I get to strap them on my chest and carry them around. So yeah, I hope to have more kids in the future.”
PE With Joe, in association with MINI, aims to improve wellbeing through exercise. From July 31 to August 6, it travels from Somerset to Perth in aid of Children in Need. For more information, click here.
