Music legend Shaun Ryder has declared he plans to continue using the weight-loss medication Ozempic indefinitely, having lost more than two stone since starting the treatment.
"I'd look like a screaming skull" - Ryder on his Ozempic journey
The Happy Mondays and Black Grape frontman, 63, was first prescribed the drug in May 2023 and has seen significant results. In a frank new interview, the singer stated the only circumstance under which he would consider stopping the injections is if he began to resemble a "screaming skull."
Speaking to The Sun, Ryder explained his ongoing use, citing an underactive thyroid. "Yes, I still do them. When you've got an underactive thyroid, if you just had lettuce and strawberries, you'd still be 26 stone," he said. He humorously added, "I'm on more drugs now than I ever was. But they're all legal and very healthy."
Family life and ADHD revelations
The conversation also turned to family, with Ryder lavishing praise on his wife, Joanne, whom he married in 2010. He candidly admitted that if he had been solely responsible for their children, social services would have intervened "years ago."
Ryder shares two children, Pearl and Lulu, with Joanne, and has four older children from previous relationships. He revealed the profound impact of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on his family, disclosing that five of his six children have been diagnosed with the condition, alongside his own diagnosis in his late fifties.
"That's why I'm always working, because I've got to pay for their therapy," he stated, highlighting the financial commitment. He reflected that his late diagnosis explained much of the "f**king madness" of his youth, linking ADHD to impulsive behaviours.
Living with and understanding ADHD
Ryder described his personal experience with the neuro-developmental disorder, recalling how at school he would instantly forget lessons upon leaving the classroom. "I just didn't retain the information," he said, connecting it to a history of promiscuity and drug use.
He was keen to stress that every case of ADHD is unique, noting one of his daughters is a "genius at maths." The star's openness aims to shed light on a condition often misunderstood, which affects behaviour, impulse control, and emotional regulation.
Shaun Ryder first found fame in the 1980s with the Happy Mondays, later forming Black Grape. Beyond music, he has become a familiar face on reality television, including I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!
