LOCKDOWN LEADER: Joe Wicks

Joe Wicks aka The Body Coach is now known as the nation’s PE teacher rather than for his ‘Lean in 15 meals’ which made him famous. During lockdown, at 9am every morning, over 800,000 school-free kids (and adults) are glued to the Fitness Coach’s You Tube channel ready to take part in their morning’s exercise for half an hour.

His channel notched up over 5m views in the first two days alone. This has of course generated a huge amount of advertising revenue (currently at $100,000)  – all of which Joe is donating to the NHS. So not are you only getting in your daily exercise but you are helping to support our amazing NHS heroes every morning when you are jogging indoors.

“Words can't express how happy and proud I have felt every day this week as the nation’s P.E. teacher,” he said in an Instagram message, adding that he had been overwhelmed with the response and the support. The resulting viewing figures from #PEWithJoe and advertising revenue, he said, “has been unlike anything I've seen or experienced on my channel before”. Consequently, Wicks said he would be donating “every single penny” of the money made by his online PE sessions to the NHS – the “real heroes right now”.

Wicks has visited thousands of UK schools, teaching kids fitness routines. He originally trained to be a PE teacher, before finding fame via YouTube. “It’s about giving people that 30 minutes in the morning to get up off the sofa, move your body and get your heart pumping,” he told the PA news agency. “This isn’t about getting people lean, it’s about saying: ‘Do this today to feel good.’ Then, when your kids sit down to do some academic work, they’re energised and mentally prepared for a lesson at home.”

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