Mark Labbett, known as The Beast on ITV's The Chase, has revealed that he faced a serious health risk while filming the new spin-off series The Chase Around the World. The six-foot-seven quizmaster said he had to get up and walk around during long-haul flights to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially fatal blood clot condition.
Travel Challenges for The Beast
Speaking to The Times, Labbett explained the practical difficulties of his height while travelling for the show. He recalled a flight back from Paris where his legs were "in a tangle" after the journey. "When you're 6ft 7in, travel is mainly discomfort," he said.
He added: "I do travel but only for work, and when I'm doing long haul [to film the Australian version of The Chase] I have it in my contract that I fly business. And even then I have to get up and walk around or I might get DVT and die."
After the Paris trip, Labbett described an uncomfortable experience at passport control: "I was so stiff the man at passport control said, 'Would you like to use the assistance lane?' I thought, 'Am I walking that badly?' I took one look in the mirror and thought, 'Yes I am'."
Height-Related Issues Beyond Travel
This is not the first time Labbett's height has caused problems. In 2018, he told The Sun that finding a suitable car was difficult. "It didn't used to be a problem with cars. Maybe I've become less flexible, but the last time I went looking to buy a car I really struggled to get in. I think they've moulded the driver compartments to make them more ergonomically friendly," he said.
Health Transformation Journey
Beyond these challenges, Labbett has been open about his health journey. After being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 2017, he underwent a major weight loss transformation. He revealed he was around 29 stone at his heaviest and now weighs roughly 18 stone. To achieve this, he increased physical activity, reduced portion sizes, cut down on sugar and refined carbohydrates, and adopted a higher-protein diet.
About The Chase Around the World
The new six-part series sees six pairs of contestants trying to track down all The Chasers — Mark, Anne Hegerty, Jenny Ryan, Shaun Wallace, Darragh Ennis and Paul Sinha — across undisclosed locations around the world. Along the way, they solve puzzles, with the winning pair eventually facing The Chasers for a life-changing prize pot.
Host Bradley Walsh teased on Instagram: "The Chase is going global. Six chasers, six pairs of contestants and one epic chase. Because in this game, the more you know, the further you go. If you want to star in the game, you're going to have to take on the best in the world." He added in a statement: "The Chasers are already famous around the world, so fans can look forward to seeing them ply their trade in some superb secret locations."
The Chase Around the World is due to begin airing on 16 July on ITV1 and ITVX.
