Joe Wicks reveals how father's heroin addiction shaped his life choices

‘I decided that wasn’t going to be my destiny,’ says fitness entrepreneur

(Getty Images for Disney)

Joe Wicks has opened up about how his father’s heroin addiction shaped his move into the fitness industry.

Speaking on Russell Brand’s Under The Skin podcast, the 34-year-old, who is also known as The Body Coach, explained how exercise became a way for him to “manage [his] feelings” about his father’s addiction.

It also meant that both Wicks and his older brother, Nikki, avoided drugs when they were growing up.

“Because of my dad’s addiction, and the damage I saw that cause, me and Nikki steered clear of it,” he said.

“We weren’t smoking weed, we were training, exercising and playing sport,” Wicks said.

“Along the line, I decided that wasn’t going to be my destiny – that wasn’t going to be my path.”

Wicks went on to explain that he has developed a good relationship with his father as an adult. His father is now sober.

“Now, when my dad’s going through a low period, I’m texting him and ringing him and asking how he is – I’m not judging him for being an addict,” he said.

Wicks added that he has tried to encourage his father to overcome his addiction through exercise.

“Before you turn to binge eating, addiction, drugs or anti-depressants, try exercise,” he began.

“It’s hard, my dad says the last thing he wants to do when he’s going through his low points is exercise. But I say, ‘Dad, you know how it makes you feel – you always feel better'.

“When he goes for a run, he comes back a different man. The physiological state can change your mental state. It may be temporary, but you have that ability to do it every day.”

Wicks shot to global fame last month after he began hosting live PE lessons on YouTube in a bid to keep children fit despite the recent school closures caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The first of Wicks' PE lessons was watched by more than 790,000 households.

He has said that the profits generated by his videos will be donated to the NHS to help medical staff battling on the frontlines of the pandemic.