In a significant boost for the digital fitness sector, broadcasting giant ITV has agreed to invest up to £3 million into The Body Coach app, the popular platform created by fitness personality Joe Wicks.
A Strategic Partnership for Growth
The substantial financial injection comes from ITV's ITV AdVentures Invest fund. As part of the strategic deal, The Body Coach app will receive major advertising exposure across ITV's television channels and its streaming service, ITVX. This partnership marks a pivotal moment for the fitness brand, leveraging mainstream media to reach a wider audience.
The Body Coach app was launched by Wicks in late 2020, capitalising on his extraordinary rise to fame during the initial Covid-19 lockdowns, where his free online PE lessons earned him the affectionate title 'the nation’s PE teacher'. The platform offers users a comprehensive range of workout programmes, personalised meal plans, and tools for tracking daily progress.
New Year Launch with Star-Studded Show
The campaign will kick off with a television commercial launching on 1 January 2026. The ad will be broadcast during the commercial breaks of Joe Wicks’ New Year’s Day special show on ITV1 and ITVX. The programme will feature a lineup of celebrity guests including singer Olly Murs, Tilly Ramsay (daughter of chef Gordon Ramsay), and TV chef Nisha Katona, founder of Mowgli Street Food.
Reflecting on the deal, Joe Wicks said: “I never imagined when I started my bootcamps in the park over 12 years ago that The Body Coach would grow into a brand reaching millions of people. This partnership with ITV feels incredibly special – not only as a major milestone for The Body Coach, but because it allows us to bring a positive, supportive message about health and wellbeing into millions of homes at a time when people need it most.”
Energising a Nation's Resolutions
Sheena Amin, director of ITV AdVentures, highlighted the perfect timing of the launch: “We couldn’t be launching the campaign at a better time – the new year has always represented a natural reset for people to make positive changes and with Joe’s show airing on ITV1 on New Year’s Day, I’m sure viewers will come away feeling even more energised and motivated to kick-start their health and fitness journey.”
Nikki Wicks, Joe's older brother and chief executive of The Body Coach, described the tie-up as a “big moment for The Body Coach brand and kicks-off an exciting new chapter”.
This investment adds to the portfolio of ITV AdVentures Invest, which was launched in 2021. The fund has previously invested in companies such as online estate agent Purplebricks and pet health firm PitPat, demonstrating its strategy of backing consumer-focused digital brands.
