The Beast From The Chase Lost So Much Weight They Bought Him A New Suit

ITV

Mark Labbett, better known to The Chase fans as The Beast, has revealed a huge 2.5 stone weight loss and body transformation over the last six months.

In fact, the TV talent has lost so much weight from his chest the ITV stalwart show has had to buy him a new suit to wear as he takes on the general knowledge contestants.

Labbett showed the ladies of Loose Women the dramatic weight loss results:

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The brainy chaser has been working hard on his physique and diet for the past six months, if his Twitter updates are anything to go by.

Labbett landed on a lifestyle change after he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and has been sharing his body transformation on tele as part of Loose Women‘s Body Stories Men campaign.

He also keeps his followers up to date with his measurements, in case you were wondering:

Yesterday, (February 20), Mark wrote how he’d achieved his first weight loss target:

#thechase lost four inches off my chest and six inches off my belly in last six months.

So they have bought me a new suit for the show. First target achieved :)

ITV

According to Diabetes UK, Type 2 diabetes is a serious, lifelong condition caused by high blood glucose levels because a sufferer’s body doesn’t make enough insulin.

Around 90 per cent of people living with diabetes in the UK have Type 2 diabetes – it’s said to start gradually, usually later in life, although people are being diagnosed at a younger age.

Over the last six months, Mark has been cracking down on his eating habits and reducing his sugar intake, as well as hitting the gym.

Only one questions remains.

If his physique changes this drastically, do ITV need to give The Beast a new name as well as a new suit?

Well, don’t say we don’t address the burning TV trivia questions here at UNILAD, because here’s your answer.

ITV

Turns out, Mark’s nickname actually stems from the translation of his own surname, rather than his impressive stature, as most TV viewers at home assume.

Labbett actually comes from the French word, meaning ‘the beast’. So there you have it.

Fans of The Chase will be very familiar with the sinister group of Chasers who torment contestants with their brainpower and dry put downs.

ITV

Each ‘Chaser’ has a nickname which is supposed to fit with their unique brand of terror, like Anne Hegerty, who’s referred to as ‘The Governess’, which fits well with her Miss Trunchbull-esque vibe.

We also have the deeply sarcastic Paul ‘The Sinnerman’ Sinha and flame-haired Jenny ‘The Vixen’ Ryan.

Last but not least, we have of course, the brainiac barrister, Shaun Wallace; known ominously to quiz fanatics as ‘The Dark Destroyer’.

ITV/YouTube

However, UK fans have been left a little confused by the Australian version of The Chase, where Shaun’s nickname is changed slightly, after having joined at the beginning of this year.

Rather than ‘The Dark Destroyer’, he’s known Down Under as simply, ‘The Destroyer’.

The reference to the word ‘dark’ is taken out completely:

Some have been left disgruntled by this minor change and have got into a bit of a flap over perceived ‘political correctness’:

Back in 2004, Shaun spoke with The Guardian about becoming the first black Mastermind champion:

When I won, I was crying for two to three minutes, I thought of everybody – my friends, my family, black people, everybody who knows me, everybody who had heard about me.

To me, as far as black people are concerned, this is the equivalent of Neil Armstrong taking the first steps on the moon.

People have this perception black people can only excel at sport, can only reach a certain level in terms of administrative posts and the police force.

Well, guess what, I broke a concrete ceiling and whether you’re black, Asian, Chinese, go through that gap.

Watch the near-unbeatable genius himself in action below:

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PC nickname or not, none of us would stand a chance against their towering intellect.

You can catch the chase on ITV every weekday at 5pm.

Francesca Donovan

A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.