Latest news with #Ex-Gogglebox
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Fat jabs helped me lose 7st – I'd tried every diet under the sun and it's not lazy way out, says Gogglebox's Amy Tapper
AFTER years of fad diets and sweat-soaked gym sessions, ex-Gogglebox favourite Amy Tapper has undergone a major body transformation. But the secret behind her dramatic 7st weight loss isn't what you might think – and Amy herself warns that it's not for everyone. 6 Ex-Gogglebox star Amy Tapper has dropped from a size 26 to a size 18 in just 12 months after her incredible weight loss Credit: Lorna Roach 6 Amy, pictured before her weight loss, says she had tried every diet known to man Credit: Do The Unthinkable The 25-year-old TV star, who won the nation's hearts alongside her family on the Channel 4 sofa hit, has dropped from a size 26 to a size 18 in just 12 months. And after keeping schtum about exactly how she's shed the pounds, she today reveals it is all thanks to the weight loss drug Mounjaro. In an exclusive photoshoot with Fabulous, Amy shows off her incredible new look and opens up for the first time about her journey, telling us: 'I've gone to doctors all my life and they can never tell me the problem – because there's actually nothing wrong with me. 'My bloods are always amazing, I haven't got polycystic ovaries, I haven't got a thyroid problem and I haven't got anything that usually makes you put on weight. It is just genetics.' Dad Jonathan, 58, has slimmed down from his 21st 3lb weight to 18st 8lbs since he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2019. She spoke to her doctor whether her weight was inherited from her dad - but was told it could be from distant relative but it's impossible to know. For single Amy, who starred on E4 matchmaking show Celebs Go Dating in 2018, trying to slim down has been a lifelong battle. 'I have done every single diet under the sun,' says Amy, who, like 56 per cent of UK adults, has followed fad diets in a desperate bid to lose weight, including one which only let her eat chicken and sweet potatoes. Gogglebox's Amy Tapper shows off incredible 5st weight loss in amazing before and after pics 'The same thing happens over and over again. I get three stone lighter and I don't lose any more.' For years Amy, from Edgware, north London, was trapped in a vicious cycle of losing some weight, only to put it all back on again. 'Trying to lose weight became my full-time job,' says Amy, who managed to shed just over 3st back in 2021 by healthy eating and regular boxing. 'I found that pressurising as well, because I knew the way my body worked. 'Once I got over that 3st mark, it would take me a month to lose another pound. 'I would be really good all week, I would work out, and I would lose nothing. So then it was just like: 'What's the point?'' Although she has always eaten healthily, Amy says she struggled with her portion sizes. She said: 'I don't think I've ever even tried a full-fat coke in my life. 'It was more the portions of it. I'd be able to have a three-course meal. I'd be able to eat things on a bigger scale.' Amy says that last year she finally reached breaking point. 'I felt there was nothing else I could do,' she admits. 6 Amy with dad Jonathan, mum Nikki and brother Josh Credit: Damien McFadden 'I actually went to a doctor about surgery, because it got past the point of caring about how I look." Although her doctors told her she was physically healthy, Amy struggled with the secondary effects of being overweight. She said: 'I'd get really sweaty and really out of breath quickly.' 'If my friend lived on the top floor somewhere I'd dread to go there because I'd know by the time I'd get to the top I'd be out of breath.' In June last year, her doctor introduced her to weight loss drug Mounjaro. 500,000 people in the UK are currently taking either Mounjaro or Wegovy, according to Simple Online Pharmacy, with a staggering 1.5 million Brits currently using some kind of weight loss drug. I actually went to a doctor about surgery, because it got past the point of caring about how I look. That's up 24.6 per cent since October 2024, according to market intelligence company IQVIA. Typically, patients can expect to lose 15 to 20 per cent of their total body weight in a matter of months. It proved to be a huge turning point for 5ft 3 Amy, who has lost a third of her body weight since 2021. 'I've been on these injections for a year now and I've lost 7st,' she says. 'I'm not sure what my BMI was exactly but I was definitely considered morbidly obese.' She has been taking a 15mg weekly dose since February which she worked her way up to from 2.5mg. 'I'm fitting into size 18 clothes for the first time since I was 15 or 16 – it's hard for me to believe. 'It's changed my life. I went to the theatre the other night and when I sat down, my thighs weren't touching the person next to me, or the sides of the chairs. I had room. 'I was like: 'Oh my God, Mum, this is what it feels like to just fit.'' That feeling of not fitting has dogged Amy ever since she was a child. 'Even growing up as a kid and going to Disney at a young age, I wasn't able to go on certain rides,' she says. 'You don't choose that life at that age.' But while weight loss medication has been life-changing for Amy, she believes that it shouldn't be dished out to those who see it as a quick fix. 'It frustrates me on a daily basis knowing that certain people are on it,' she says. 'It's too available for your normal person. If you've only got 3st or less to lose, you should not be on it. 'And unfortunately, it ruins it for people like me who it's absolutely life-changing for. 6 I've been on these injections for a year now and I've lost 7st, reveals Amy Credit: Lorna Roach 'I also get annoyed that some people call it the 'lazy way out'. 'I don't want people to think that I've sat around for the last 17 years of my life not trying to lose weight. 'I want people to know that this has been my only option to get this far.' Amy strongly believes that Mounjaro is a drug designed for those who, like her, have bodies that don't respond to traditional dieting or exercise. And despite the benefits, she even fears for those who use it when they don't need to. 'It goes for your muscles,' she says. NO QUICK FIX 'That's why there's the whole 'Ozempic face' and 'Ozempic arms' and all of that stuff. 'It's also really damaging for people with eating disorders.' She has worked with personal trainer Tash since the end of 2021 doing regular workouts to help her tone up and maintain muscle mass. She said: 'Exercising alongside Mounjaro is so important - it's very hard to work out if you are at that point of needing Mounjaro.' Amy says she has only experienced side effects when going up a dose - and minimises them by drinking plenty of water and taking electrolytes. For Amy, this is no quick fix and she believes she will need to take weight loss medication 'for life'. Now, she makes sure she follows doctor's orders by listening to what her body needs and makes sure her small meals are nutritionally dense. She said: 'If I'm not hungry I'm not going to force myself to eat. 'I do have to make sure I get protein in and that is my number one priority so I eat a lot of chicken and tuna.' I'm fitting into size 18 clothes for the first time since I was 15 or 16 – it's hard for me to believe. Although she was open about taking the medication with friends and family, she said she didn't want to open up until she felt she was educated enough to answer her followers' questions. She is keen for fans to understand the commitment of taking Mounjaro. She says: 'What people don't realise is that it does so much more than just suppress your appetite. 'It also curbs cravings and slows down your digestive system to keep you fuller for longer. 'There's no such thing as an easy way out. Even surgery is not an easy way out. 'Coming off the injections will mean my body goes back to its old ways. 'I don't want people to think that they can just go on it, lose a couple of stone, come off of it, and be chilling. 'The minute they come off, their bodies will go back to doing exactly what they did before and they're going to store fat.' 6 I get annoyed that some people call weight loss injections the 'lazy way out', says Amy Credit: Lorna Roach 6 The star now laughs at the trolls who once attacked her over her size Credit: Lorna Roach Amy's family – brother Josh, 27, who works for a think-tank, nursery manager mum Nikki, 52, and dad Jonathan, 58, a chauffeur – are thrilled at her weight loss success. 'They're so proud and so happy about it,' she says. 'They were always supportive of me their whole lives - and now they are happy to see me so happy.' The star, who has been sharing her weight loss journey with her 76,000 Instagram followers, now laughs at the trolls who once attacked her over her size. BODY BATTLE 'I used to scroll through my phone looking at negative comments calling me 'the fat girl in the corner', but now I see them arguing in the comments section about if I am on Mounjaro or not. It makes me laugh.' Despite dropping an incredible 7st, Amy's body battle is far from over. Having lost weight at such speed, she eventually hopes to have skin removal surgery once she has reached a stable weight in the next couple years. 'It's a long way down the line, but I've lost the weight sooner than I would have ever imagined in my life,' she says. 'I'm definitely having a party after I have reached my goal weight and had my loose skin removed. 'You need to celebrate these things. Otherwise, what's the point?'
North Wales Chronicle
29-06-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Supermarkets may be fined if they don't sell healthier food
The 'healthy food standard' will apply to retailers and manufacturers in England as part of a 10-year strategy to cut diet-related diseases, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. Initially developed by innovation agency Nesta, the policy introduces mandatory health targets for retailers while giving them flexibility in how to meet them, such as by tweaking recipes, running price promotions on healthier items, or redesigning store layouts. Supermarkets will be required to report sales data and those that fail to hit targets could face financial penalties, Nesta suggested. 🗨️ Watch @scarletnazarian and @dr_amoss break down the three key shifts at the heart of our 10 Year Health Plan: ➡️ analogue to digital ➡️ hospital to community ➡️ sickness to prevention Nesta analysed 36 million supermarket transactions, finding an average shopping basket health score of 67 out of 100, and has set a target to raise this to 69. Its modelling shows that raising the score by just two points would cut obesity by around a fifth over three years, helping more than three million people to achieve a healthier weight. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'If everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by around 200 calories a day – the equivalent of a bottle of fizzy drink – obesity would be halved. 'This Government's ambition for kids today is for them to be part of the healthiest generation of children ever. That is within our grasp. With the smart steps we're taking today, we can give every child a healthy start to life. 'Our brilliant supermarkets already do so much work for our communities and are trying to make their stores healthier, and we want to work with them and other businesses to create a level playing field. 'Through our new healthy food standard, we will make the healthy choice the easy choice, because prevention is better than cure.' The Government aims to introduce mandatory reporting by the end of this parliament in 2029, with the standard to be achieved some way into the next. Ken Murphy, chief executive of Tesco, welcomed the announcement, while Simon Roberts, chief executive of Sainsbury's, called it an 'important and positive step forward in helping the nation to eat well'. Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: 'This is a fair and evidence-based prescription for better health; big businesses urgently need the government to level the playing field to help them focus on selling products that help people live well.' Recommended Reading Channel 4 to show BBC-commissioned documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack Rod Stewart branded 'grotesque' and 'stupid' amid support for Reform UK Ex-Gogglebox star speaks out over 'intrusive' show years after exit Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: 'Our food strategy will bring together the health plan, food producers and retailers to make sure we can feed the nation more healthily while growing the economic success of our food sector.' Anna Taylor, executive director of the Food Foundation, said: 'The introduction of mandatory reporting by all large food companies, including takeaway chains, on the healthiness of their food sales is a game changer.' Sonia Pombo, head of impact and research at Action on Salt, said: 'This will help shift the responsibility away from individuals and toward a food system that truly supports healthier choices.'
Daily Mirror
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gogglebox star's 'complicated' love life after split from TV partner
Former Gogglebox star Daniel Lustig-Webb split from Stephen Webb last April after the pair married six years ago. Now, Daniel has opened up on his love life after his divorce Ex-Gogglebox star Daniel Lustig-Webb has been a familiar face on our television screens since 2018, but he has only now found the confidence to open up about his hidden disability. The 50-year-old, who split up with his husband of six years, fellow Gogglebox star Stephen Webb, last April, reveals he's spent decades coping with hearing loss in one ear after catching mumps as a child. However, until recently, he felt too embarrassed to tell people he was partially deaf. 'I've never really spoken about it before and it's always been a big part of my life,' he says. 'I wasn't very confident talking about it years ago.' While Daniel is ready to open up for the first time publicly about his hearing loss, he admits it has had a huge impact on his life. 'It has impacted my whole life constantly,' he says. 'As you get older, you have mechanisms to cope with everything but when I was younger, I didn't have a lot of friends. I was quite a shy kid and it made it worse – I remember just hearing a lot of noise but not being able to pinpoint where it was coming from. If you're on the periphery of a conversation and you're not concentrating, you can't hear what people are saying properly.' Daniel lost his hearing in one ear aged seven, after mumps led to an ear infection. 'We were on holiday and while I was told it was safe to fly home, the flying must have perforated it,' he says. 'I don't remember anything about it – except that at sports day at school, I wasn't running in a straight line. My parents said that it really affected my balance.' He spent decades hiding his deafness, with the salon owner admitting he didn't tell Stephen when they started dating. 'I was quite embarrassed by it and I didn't tell Stephen in the beginning,' he says. 'He was like, 'Why didn't you tell me? It's nothing embarrassing.' I'm not worried now, but if you go to a dinner party, you have to get there first because you have to get to the corner of the table where you can hear everyone.' Daniel admits he even struggled to hear during his first series on Gogglebox, after producers placed him on the wrong side of the sofa. 'The producers went, 'Can you sit here because that's where Stephen's former co-stars Chris and his mother had sat?' 'I didn't speak up and, bless him, Stephen didn't think about it but it's not up to him to think about. I remember saying that I needed to move sides because I can't really hear but they said, 'Well, you always have to sit this side now – that's how we work.'' Daniel had to wait until the next series of Gogglebox to swap positions with Stephen on their couch. 'The whole first series, I couldn't really hear what he was saying half the time,' says Daniel. 'I'm just giggling and laughing – I don't say much. That was only a few years ago, but it sits with you.' The couple left Gogglebox in 2023, before shocking fans the next year by announcing their plans to divorce after more than a decade together. While it's been more than a year since their split, the exes are still living together in their Brighton flat and working together at their hair salon. 'Our flat is on the market but the market is slow, so we still live together,' Daniel says. 'We've probably had the nicest break-up that I know of. We get on really well. We obviously run the salon together, so maybe 70% of the time we're still working together. When a problem arises, we're very grown up – more grown up than when we were married – and we talk everything through. We both want to start making our new lives but, for now, we're like we were on Gogglebox – still watching TV together!' Their living arrangement does mean that it's tricky for either of them to date. 'That's complicated,' he says. 'If I'm going on a date, I'm a bit sheepish about it. I'll say I'm going to meet a friend but Stephen can just read me. He'll say, 'Don't wear that.' I can't bring anyone to the house so it's a little bit different – but we make it work.' Daniel turned 50 last month, celebrating with a party at Soho House in Brighton and a stay at his brother's property in France. He admits his love life hasn't panned out the way he thought it would. 'I didn't think I was going to be single at 50 but I am, so it's fine,' he says. 'People are very complicated and the last time I was single, there weren't any dating apps. Now, you pass by people all the time who are probably really decent but because their profile isn't perfect, you don't look at it.' That's why Daniel is following in the footsteps of Stephen, who did Celebs Go Dating last year. 'I did do something to do with dating that's coming out next year, but I can't talk about that,' he teases. He's also dying to strut his stuff on Strictly Come Dancing. 'I don't know if I'd be any good, but I think I look alright in a sparkly shirt,' he adds, laughing.
Scottish Sun
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Love Island Aftersun reveals new presenting line up as TWO TikTok stars join ITV2 show
LOVE Island Aftersun has revealed two new TikTok stars are joining the ITV2 show. Hosted by Maya Jama, she's joined once again by certified superfan Sam Thompson and former Islanders Amy Hart and Indiyah Polack. 5 Love Island Aftersun is back with two new TikTok stars joining the panel Credit: Rex 5 Indiyah Polack (right) will be back alongside Sam Thompson and Amy Hart (above) Credit: Rex 5 Content creator Ash Holme will be joining the spin-off show Credit: Getty 5 Ex-Gogglebox star Joe Baggs is the second new face on the panel Credit: Getty New to the line-up are content creators Joe Baggs and Ash Holme, bringing even more heat to Sunday nights. Broadcast live from London, the show promises to deliver juicy exclusives, behind-the-scenes gossip and big laughs. Expect live interviews direct from the Beach Hut, former Islanders serving up unfiltered takes from behind the bar, as well as the first exclusive interviews with dumped Islanders. WHO IS ASH HOLME? Ash is best known as a content creator, but she also appeared on one of the nation's biggest talent shows in 2017. Ash had an unprecedented run on British singing extravaganza The X-Factor in 2017. She originally auditioned with her group NQ, who made it to Boot Camp before being dropped from the show. But the star pulled off a rare move when she ditched her band for a new group. The singer, who was 21 at the time, was kicked off the show but returned to join Simon Cowell's imaginatively-named New Girl Band. NQ impressed the judges with their performance of Hey Mama before getting axed, but Simon said he wanted to bring Ash back. Ten Years of Love Island She looked slightly shell-shocked as she was led back on to the stage by host Dermot O'Leary after her group were cut from the show. After a quick rehearsal, Ash then performed with New Girl Band, before Simon asked her if she was willing to ditch NQ and join them instead. New Girl Band was put together by the media mogul just days earlier after all the girls were booted off the Boot Camp weeks earlier. He had once hoped they could be a female version of One Direction, but they didn't take off as he hoped. However, the group ended up getting knocked out at the Judges' Houses stage, with the contest being won by another Cowell outfit, Rak-Su. Ash is the current host of Bumble's My Love Is podcast. She featured in an episode of Channel 4's Get in the Van in 2023. Ash took part in series four of Footasylum Locked In, which started on November 1, 2023. The fortnight-long content creating contest on YouTube saw the cast of online celebs competing in various challenges to win the top prize of £10,000. Since 2023, Ash has also hosted her own successful podcast series Antics With Ash, which is available on Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Podchaser, YouTube and her Instagram. She has also partnered with huge brands like L'Oréal, Deliveroo and Amazon Prime. While Joe became a household name for kicking back in front of the TV on Gogglebox. He has since become popular for his podcast Not My Bagg, where he welcomes celebrities to spill the tea. The Sun can exclusively reveal Maya Jama's full squad for the summer includes a footballer, personal trainer and a series of stunning models. But their beauty is more than skin deep, as ITV2 has amassed a group with real kudos. Former fire-breather Sophie Lee has campaigned for real beauty since she was scarred for life when her act went disastrously wrong, whilst Alima Gagigo has a BA degree in international business. Love Island bosses will officially confirm the OGs today, with the series to kick off next Monday. 5 Maya Jama will be back hosting Aftersun Credit: Rex
The Irish Sun
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Love Island Aftersun reveals new presenting line up as TWO TikTok stars join ITV2 show
LOVE Island Aftersun has revealed two new TikTok stars are joining the ITV2 show. Hosted by Advertisement 5 Love Island Aftersun is back with two new TikTok stars joining the panel Credit: Rex 5 Indiyah Polack (right) will be back alongside Sam Thompson and Amy Hart (above) Credit: Rex 5 Content creator Ash Holme will be joining the spin-off show Credit: Getty 5 Ex-Gogglebox star Joe Baggs is the second new face on the panel Credit: Getty New to the line-up are content creators Broadcast live from London, the show promises to deliver juicy exclusives , behind-the-scenes gossip and big laughs. Expect live interviews direct from the Beach Hut, former Islanders serving up unfiltered takes from behind the bar, as well as the first exclusive interviews with dumped Islanders. WHO IS ASH HOLME? Ash is best known as a content creator, but she also appeared on one of the nation's biggest talent shows in 2017. Advertisement READ MORE ON LOVE ISLAND Ash had an unprecedented run on She originally auditioned with her group NQ, who made it to Boot Camp before being dropped from the show. But the star pulled off a rare move when she ditched her band for a new group. The singer, who was 21 at the time, was kicked off the show but returned to join Advertisement Most read in News TV Exclusive NQ impressed the judges with their performance of Hey Mama before getting axed, but Simon said he wanted to bring Ash back. Ten Years of Love Island She looked slightly shell-shocked as she was led back on to the stage by host Dermot O'Leary after her group were cut from the show. After a quick rehearsal, Ash then New Girl Band was put together by the media mogul just days earlier after all the girls were booted off the Advertisement He had once hoped they could be a female version of One Direction, but they didn't take off as he hoped. However, the group ended up getting knocked out at the Rak-Su . Ash is the current host of Bumble's My Love Is podcast. She featured in an episode of Channel 4's Get in the Van in 2023. Advertisement Ash The fortnight-long content creating contest on YouTube saw the cast of online celebs competing in various challenges to win the top prize of £10,000. Since 2023, Ash has also hosted her own successful podcast series Antics With Ash, which is available on Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Podchaser, YouTube and her Instagram. She has also partnered with huge brands like L'Oréal , Deliveroo and Amazon Prime . Advertisement While Joe became a household name for kicking back in front of the TV on Gogglebox . He has since become popular for his podcast Not My Bagg, where he welcomes celebrities to spill the tea. The Sun can exclusively reveal 's summer includes a footballer, personal trainer and a series of stunning models . But their beauty is more than skin deep, as ITV2 has amassed a group with real kudos. Advertisement Former fire-breather business . Love Island bosses will officially confirm the OGs today, with the series to kick off next Monday. 5 Maya Jama will be back hosting Aftersun Credit: Rex Advertisement
