The Chase's Mark Labbett has admitted that he has tried four times to compete on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.
The ITV jungle show is set to return for another series this year. While certain celebs are already rumoured to be heading to Australia to compete in bush tucker trials, no one has been confirmed as of yet.
But one famous face who would like to appear on the Ant and Dec hosted show is quizmaster Mark ' The Beast'. He claims that he has been invited to apply to join the show's lineup four times now, only to be later knocked back due to his weight.
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Speaking to the Daily Star at the National Television Awards, Mark, 57, said he'd love to take part in the show, but his weight has always been an issue. He said: “Four times I’ve been asked to apply for an ITV reality TV show.
"But at every point they’ve gone from really wanting me to suddenly my weight is an issue. I’m getting a bit jacked off about that. Especially now that I’m down to the weight I am.”
He added: "They really worry on I’m A Celebrity about big stars who have shut down. They don’t allow for the fact that a guy like me, 3,000 calories is a diet.
"I’d love to do it. I know one thing I’m safe from - they’re never going to get me on a parachute! It’s just really annoying that they invite me in for an interview and then weight is mentioned and I’m out.”
Mark has lost a staggering amount of weight in recent years. At his heaviest, The Beast weighed 29 stone.
After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2016, he was forced to undergo some drastic lifestyle changes to stop his health from deteriorating further. So, thanks to a healthier diet and improved exercise regime, he's since dropped a whopping 10 stone in total.
If he ever does manage to get on to the show then he won't be the first Chaser to change roles and become a competitor. Anne Hegarty, aka The Governess, was a contestant back in 2018.
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