Ed Gamble, the popular host of The Traitors: Uncloaked, has spoken with remarkable candour about his significant physical transformation and the complex emotional journey that accompanied it.
The Dramatic Physical Transformation
The comedian and television presenter revealed that at his heaviest, he weighed 19 stone. Through dedicated lifestyle changes, he has since slimmed down to 12 stone, marking a loss of seven stone. Gamble admitted that in his younger years, he lived unhealthily, which had severe consequences for his pre-existing type 1 diabetes. "I was living so unhealthily I felt dreadful all the time," he explained. "I wasn’t completely ignoring that I was type 1, but I was doing the bare minimum to stay alive."
A New Focus on Health and Diabetes Management
Gamble described a period of binge eating and drinking, where he paid little attention to his body's needs, causing his diabetes to suffer. His perspective shifted when he decided to use weight loss as a catalyst to gain control over his health. "I thought, weight loss will be a good opportunity to try and get on top of the diabetes, however intimidating and overwhelming it seems. I’ve never looked back from that point," he stated. His new regime, which now includes running marathons, has helped stabilise his condition and given him a much-improved quality of life.
The Unexpected Emotional Toll and a Plea for Kindness
Despite the physical benefits, Gamble disclosed that the transformation came with an unexpected emotional cost. Ironically, he now feels more self-conscious than he ever did at a higher weight. "When I was bigger, I really didn’t care about my weight," he shared. "As soon as I lost weight, that’s when I started to worry about how I looked. As soon as people started to say I looked nice, that’s when I started to worry."
He issued a direct plea for people to reconsider commenting on others' bodies. "I don’t know where this thing came from where people think they’re allowed to comment on people’s bodies and weight. It’s really depressing if you’re on the other end of it," Gamble said. He criticised the ever-changing and often extreme ideals for male body shapes, noting the pressure to conform from a "skinny waif" to a "gigantic" muscular build. His final advice was succinct: "It’s best to just shut up."
