Matt Lucas is hosting a brand new series of The Great British Bake Off and looks slimmer than ever after undergoing a dramatic weight loss in recent years.
The 48-year-old actor and comedian has completely transformed his body and lifestyle, despite being surrounded by cakes and sweet treats on the much-loved Channel 4 show.
However, there's a tragic reason as to why Matt put weight on in the first place and sadly it involved losing his ex-partner Kevin McGee.
Kevin sadly took his own life in October 2009 and Matt later admitted that he started 'eating lots' to deal with his grief.
Speaking to the Sunday Times back in 2017, Matt said: "I think people respond in all different ways to grief. I thought I was very conscientious going to a bereavement counsellor and not turning to drink, which I hardly ever do - I probably have six units a year.
"I’m not going to start smoking again, I’m not going to do drugs. But I ended up eating lots and having lots of sex. That was how I responded. As much as anything I was trying to distract myself."
In the same year that Kevin passed away, Matt was told to reduce his daily calorie intake to 1,500 over fears he may develop diabetes.
The Little Britain star took the doctor's warning seriously after losing his own father John to a heart attack in 1996.
But, like a lot of people, Matt admitted to putting weight back on over the past couple of years thanks to lockdown.
During an appearance on ITV's Lorraine last year, the star cited the pandemic as his motivation for getting fit.
Host Lorraine Kelly asked: "How on Earth though, have you been in lockdown and working on Bake Off and you've lost tonnes of weight?"
"I've lost some weight, I needed to take the edge off, because I put on a lot of weight in lockdown," Matt said.
Lorraine replied: "Oh I have, I think lots of people have."
Matt went on: "I just had to do something about it.
"I've still got a bit of a tum, I've got a little bit of a tum, I'm not a skinny minnie."
Speaking about his future goals, he added: "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."
