Viewers expressed their concern for John McCririck's health after he looked almost unrecognisable during an appearance on Big Brother's Bit on the Side on Thursday. The former racing pundit showcased his dramatic weight loss after battling illness at the beginning of the year, and claiming to have shed three stone by cutting potatoes out of his diet.
The 78-year-old, who first appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2005, was talking about the final series of the reality show, but many viewers were more distracted by his frail appearance. Taking to Twitter to share their worries for his health, one wrote: "Shocking to see such a transformation. His health must not be good at all... John McCririck looks really poorly." Another asked: "Can't get over how much weight John McCririck's lost! Has he been ill?"
John McCririck shocked fans with his weight loss on Channel 5
John revealed at the beginning of the year he had suffered a bout of severe flu, saying: "I had terrible flu and it really got to my legs and voice - it was awful. It's hard to recover from and I'm not fully fit. But I'm Cheltenham-bound and we're booked in for all four days."
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In June, John also revealed he had shed three stone by reducing his portion sizes and cutting potatoes out of his diet. The racing pundit said he had decided to take action after his weight reached 19 stone. Speaking to The Sun, John explained he had begun eating healthily, cutting out chips, cakes and puddings, along with roast potatoes.
John has lost weight after changing his lifestyle
John appeared on Big Brother three times - twice as a contestant. He first appeared on the show in 2005 and was the second housemate to be evicted in a line-up that included Caprice and Jackie Stallone. He returned to the show in 2010 for the series Ultimate Big Brother, and in 2015 starred in Big Brother's Hotel from Hell.
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