Former The Great British Bake Off star Matt Lucas was inundated with comments from fans about his slimmed down appearance on the popular show following it’s return in 2022. Since then, he has opened up about what inspired him to lose weight, and how he managed to achieve it.
With fans in the UK, US and across the rest of the world curious about the popular host's weight loss journey, HELLO! has all the details...
© Mark Bourdillon / Channel 4 / Love ProductionsWhy did Matt Lucas lose weight?
Chatting with Gabby Logan on her the Mid.Point podcast, Matt - who announced series 13 of GBBO would be his last in December 2022 - explained earlier that September: "My dad died when he was 52, very suddenly. His dad died, I think at 56, so I was looking at the law of averages here. I was very big and I was getting bigger in the pandemic actually. Sort of not being very active, not really going out, not seeing people, just eating a lot of roast potatoes."
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© Channel 4 / Love ProductionsHe continued: "I was so big I couldn’t really fit on the screen anymore," adding that he was "relieved" to have lost some weight. Matt also spoke about his health on Lorraine in 2021, saying: "I've lost some weight, I needed to take the edge off, because I put on a lot of weight in lockdown. I just had to do something about it," to which Lorraine added: "Yes, just not eat as much and move around a wee bit more, that's kind of what you have to do… I've still got a bit of a tum, I've got a little bit of a tum, I'm not a skinny Minnie."
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Fans were quick to send their support to Matt after noticing his weight loss, with one writing: "Matt, you look great. Congratulations on the weight loss mate." Another person added: "Holy heck at the weight loss of @RealMattLucas - he looks really well." A third fan said via Twitter: "I know it's not the point of the show, but I'm watching #gbbo and just want to say that @RealMattLucas looks amazing."
How did Matt Lucas lose his weight?
© Getty ImagesAs well as opening up about why he decided he should lose some weight, Matt has also spent the last few years opening up about how he managed to do it. Again on Gabby Logan's The Mid.
Point podcast, Matt revealed that in order to lose the extra weight he put on over lockdown due to inactivity, as well as cutting down on the roast potatoes, he started going on regular walks.
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"I like to walk," the former Little Britain and Doctor Who star explained. "I live not far from a canal and I love when the weather's nice, going for long walks by the canal, either with a friend or on my own."
© Channel 4 / Love ProductionsMatt previously revealed to Lorraine Kelly that he would make a game out of getting more active, telling her back in 2021: "The one thing I need to do is get fitter, I have put on a little bit of weight, that's my next challenge to do a bit more exercise … I might have to make a game of it when I go out and exercise to stay out of people's way. I don't have a garden so I have to find a way to do that.
