The Chase’s Mark Labbett lost almost five stone in lockdown

The Chase’s Mark Labbett revealed he lost almost five-stone in lockdown thanks to not eating out and running after his three-year-old son.

Appearing on Tuesday’s edition of Loose Women, the TV personality, 54, explained that he ‘never formally gave up any food’ but simply found he shed the pounds because he was having meals at home.

Detailing the dramatic weight loss, he admitted: ‘I think people are going to hate me, I’ve not been trying to lose weight, I’ve had the brush with this virus, and what’s been happening is I’ve not been going out.

‘I’ve not been trying to lose weight’: The Chase star Mark Labbett revealed on Tuesday that he shed almost five stone in lockdown by not eating out and running after his three-year-old son

‘My wife does shift work so I’ve been the primary carer… as my viewers will know, looking after a toddler, you don’t have time to eat! 

‘I was 27 stone when I was diagnosed with diabetes, I was 23 stone at my last check up in March and hopefully I’ll be a bit lighter than that, but the main one is eating a bit more sensibly and I’m doing more exercises these days.’

Of how his eating habits have changed in lockdown, Mark went on to say he has started to eat less because he hasn’t ‘been that hungry’, which made him think that people ‘just get into the habit of eating lots.’

Changes: Mark explained that he 'never formally gave up any food' but simply found he'd lost weight because he was having meals at home

Changes: Mark explained that he ‘never formally gave up any food’ but simply found he’d lost weight because he was having meals at home

Getting fit: Mark added he spends a lot of his time running after his son, who he shares with wife Katie, and said: ‘Looking after a toddler, you don’t have time to eat’ 

Mark also gushed about taking care of his son, who he shares with wife Katie, as he said of parenting from home: ‘It’s been great with him running around, he’s three years old now.

‘He’s changing all the time, I’m trying to help him with sums, he doesn’t seem to have as much sleep.’

Mark, who recently revealed he suffered from coronavirus in February, talked about his symptoms, and admitted he through it was a different virus because he didn’t have a cough like others.

Shedding the pounds: Of his weight loss journey, he said he hoped to be lighter than 23 stone, which he weighed in March, as he ‘is eating a bit more sensibly and doing more exercise’

Doting dad: Mark also gushed about taking care of his son, as he said of parenting from home: 'It's been great with him running around' (pictured in November)

Doting dad: Mark also gushed about taking care of his son, as he said of parenting from home: ‘It’s been great with him running around’ (pictured in November)

‘The major one was complete loss of taste and smell and appetite, and I had a really bad cough and fever,’ he explained. ‘But because I didn’t have problems breathing I just thought I had some kind of virus.

‘For two weeks I barely ate, at the time I was thinking “result!” I had some reserves on me we’ll say, so going a week or two without food was barely a problem for me.’

Although he never got a test for the virus, Mark explained on Sunday that he hardly ate for two weeks and suffered ‘uncontrollable spells’ of fevers.

Mark told The Sun: ‘I got suspected Covid at the end of February, and got sent home from work, for the first time in 15 years… ITV were brilliant, and took no chances.

Losing weight: Mark looked noticeably thinner in an Instagram snap shared in June

Back then: Mark is pictured at his heaviest weight  in 2016

Losing weight: Mark looked noticeably thinner in an Instagram snap (left) shared in June compared to when he was at his heaviest weight (right) in 2016

‘Because the testing capacity was so limited then, I never formally got a test but all I can say is that for two weeks I had complete loss of appetite, no sense of smell, a temperature, exhaustion and the worst fever of my life. 

‘I basically didn’t eat for two weeks but since then the weight has continued to drop off because I have continued to eat sensibly. I knew I had to.’

At his heaviest in 2016, Mark – who is affectionately known as The Beast on TV and is an imposing 6ft 6ins- weighed 29-stone and earlier this year he was 27.5-stone. 

However he knew being overweight could put him at a higher risk of a contracting a more serious coronavirus and took steps to lose the weight. 

Co-stars: Mark has entertained audiences on The Chase since 2009 (he is pictured with the show's host Bradley Walsh in 2014)

Co-stars: Mark has entertained audiences on The Chase since 2009 (he is pictured with the show’s host Bradley Walsh in 2014)

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