Known as ‘The Beast’, The Chase’s brainy big-man has lost ten stone
We’ve all gone one of two ways during lockdown: eat your weight in comfort food or get fit by swapping the pints for Zumba in front of the telly. Either way, a lot of us look different since we’ve been permanently behind closed doors.
One man who opted for the latter is Mark Labbett, who most of you will know as ‘The Beast’ on ITV’s The Chase. Labbett was the very first chaser when the show aired back in 2009 and now appears on both the British and Australian versions.
A favourite among fans of the show, Labbett was known for his both large IQ (151, to be specific) and his large size. Aside from his weight, Labbett stands at six feet seven inches tall – he quite literally looms over contestants as they play.
While many may assume this is why he was given the name, ‘The Beast’ – The Chase’s nicknames having been called into question as of late – it’s actually a very clever play on words. ‘The Beast’ translates to ‘la bête’ in French – i.e. Labbett. A cleverly conceived moniker for a very clever man.
Now, though, Labbett has dropped over ten stone during lockdown and while he once had to buy bespoke XXXXL clothing, he is now able to buy off the peg. This is thanks to his new two-meal-a-day regime, daily walks and determination. He shared this picture with his followers.
Very proud of my results following my Muscle Food Goal Getters plan 🙂 pic.twitter.com/sexuonvIJ0
— Mark Labbett (@MarkLabbett) February 10, 2021
Labbett was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes back in 2016 and aside from having to reduce his sugar intake, he has been working towards better fitness goals ever since. At his heaviest, he was 29 stone in 2003, when he was still working as a teacher; now he is 19 stone: “the lightest I’ve been in 25 years”.
Labbett also believes he suffered from Covid in the past year, which may have contributed to triggering some of his more immediate weight loss. Nevertheless, it’s clear that hard work has gone into his transformation. While his IQ will likely keeping going up, the lbs are dropping off.
