Work-out king Joe Wicks has warned the whole country has to “turn our attention to mental health” or the problem will get worse.
The personal trainer, whose lockdown fitness sessions have made him a huge star, recently posted an Instagram video of himself in tears and said he got thousands of messages from people saying they felt the same.
He told ES Magazine: “I realised everyone is having a difficult time. People are at a low point and it’s going to get worse if we don’t address it.”
The 35-year-old said he was “going to talk a lot about mental health this year” and admitted he had been affected by “heavy moments” during lockdown when there had been bad news.
He said: “You have to understand the way I live my life — I’m constantly working, filming, replying to DMs, giving love and energy to people.
“I’m so distracted by work and spending time with my wife and kids that I don’t stop to feel anything. But when I watch those announcements, I do have a moment of: ‘Wow, this is really affecting people.’ And that’s when I get emotional.”
Wicks, who brought back his online PE lessons when schools were shut again in the third lockdown, said he didn’t feel “under pressure” to do it.
He said: “I want to do it. It’s a responsibility rather than a pressure. I am the only person in the UK who can do this on a massive scale, I’m the only person who can inspire these kids to get moving.
“I mean, it’s going to be physically tiring and emotionally draining for me. There are days when I’m not in the mood but I always turn up, I always do the workout and I truly feel better for it afterwards.”
Wicks said he also spends three hours a day sending encouraging voice notes to people who contact him on social media to share their lockdown struggles.
He said: “It’s emotionally draining but at the same time it’s a positive interaction, which tops me up.”
The popularity of his fitness app is said to have made him worth more than £7 million but Wicks, who has two young children with his wife Rosie, said material success does not help when it comes to missing his wider family.
He said: “Of course those things make life easier. But I feel like everyone else right now. I haven’t seen my mum, dad or brothers for ages and I miss them.”
Wicks, who moved from Richmond to Virginia Water last year, said he always tries to make time for his legion of new young fans.
He said: “You’re always switched on. You’ve always got to say, ‘Hi’, to grab a selfie if they want one. I would never ever, ever say no. I couldn’t do it. It takes 10 seconds. I have to remember I’ve been on their televisions for months, they know my wife and Indie and Marley. I couldn’t bear it if someone walked away saying, ‘What a mean guy, he wouldn’t have a photo with my kids.’ Nah. Never.”
