Ben Shephard has expressed his pride over his eldest son Sam's achievement in lockdown - his ability to complete 5k runs. The Good Morning Britain host is a doting father to two teenage sons, 15-year-old Sam and 13-year-old Jack, whom he shares with wife Annie.
Appearing on good friend Kate Thornton's podcast White Wine Question Time, the 46-year-old opened up about his love of fitness and how training on a daily basis has helped him overcome any stresses in life. He has now made it his mission to pass on that fondness to his children.
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WATCH: GMB's Ben Shephard runs with son in rare video
Although he is proud of Sam's efforts, Ben did admit he is worried that his teenage boy will soon be stronger than him. "I went for a run with Sam the other day, and he's so fit now - he's 15 and he's 6ft2 and has got feet size 12 and half," he shared. "Feet like canoes - I mean why do you need that?
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"We went running in the park, and just as we were coming round back to our house, there's a really steep hill. I was really struggling, really struggling and I turned around and said, 'Come on mate, we're nearly home, we're nearly there.' And he literally slapped my arse and said, 'Come on old man. Keep up.' And he just ran off."
The GMB star with his son Sam
Impressed, Ben added: "He's never ever done that before. That was a fear, that was a real fear of mine that the idea of the boys are going to get bigger, stronger and fitter than me and I'm not going to be able to keep up with them.
"Obviously I was mortified and crestfallen but I was really proud at the same time. I was really thrilled that his physical fitness and his journey that he's been on since lockdown. He's never been on a run before since first lockdown and now he can do a 5k run, which is incredible and he's so inspiring, I love it."
Ben and Annie share two sons together
Asked why he spends as much time as possible in the gym, Ben - who regularly shares fitness updates on Instagram - explained: "One of the reasons I work hard in the gym is because there's very little that I can control in my life, I'm working hard on that, working hard on the professional side of my life."
He added: "The one thing I can really control is my physical and mental wellbeing. I've always loved sport and exercise but it's the one thing that allows me to have full control – controlling an element of my life. If I'm training hard, whether I'm running or cycling, I sleep better, I feel more confident and deal with the bits and pieces that come at us."
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