Ben Hanson, best known for playing Bouncer Plakova in the BBC children's show The Story of Tracy Beaker, has shared a major transformation on Instagram. The 39-year-old actor is now unrecognisable after a significant weight-loss journey and qualifying as a personal trainer.
Fatherhood Milestone
In a carousel of photos, Hanson began with a throwback to his CBBC character and then highlighted his journey through fatherhood. He wrote: "I’ve had a few roles in my life, but nothing really ever felt truly fulfilling. Then, 2 years ago, that all changed."
He explained: "I met the love of my life, and almost immediately, I knew she was the one for me. I literally couldn’t stop thinking about her moments after we left, but there was a potential bump in the road; she had a son. I knew from the get-go that her son meant everything to her, the most important part of her life, and I knew for us to be together, he would have to love me too."
Bond with Stepson
The actor reflected: "The day I met him, our bond was instantaneous (even if I did get bitten by a giant pig). Being by his side and adopting the 'role' of bonus dad finally gave me that 'role' I’ve always been searching for," before adding that his stepson, Ellix, "graduated from kindergarten."
Hanson continued: "I am finally living out the life of my dreams. Are my dreams fulfilled yet? Absolutely not, but have I found my dream role? Absolutely. Dada, daddy, stepdad, bonus dad, ding dong, father. That’s who I was made to be and to do it with a woman who the good lord literally created to be a mother by my side, I couldn’t have prayed for anything more, and our life is about to get even more exciting!"
Support from Fans
Addressing his followers, he urged: "So anyone not feeling fulfilled, keep going, keep searching, keep 'auditioning' to find that dream 'role' because I promise you it’s out there and it’s better than you could have ever imagined!"
His followers flooded his comments with support. Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer wrote: "Well, this made me tear up!" Another added: "It was always meant to be, just had to trust the process and wait for that perfect timing."
