Joe Wicks says he called fan who sent him suicidal messages to ‘talk her round’

The fitness guru says he ‘can’t ignore’ the messages sent by fans but finds them 'stressful' and ‘emotional’

(Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)

Joe Wicks has said that he receives suicidal messages from fans, which can be “stressful” and “emotional".

The fitness guru, 34 – also known as The Body Coach – confessed that he spent time talking to one woman on the phone in an attempt to help her.

Speaking to The Times, Wicks said: “It’s emotional. When this woman reached out to me I thought ‘even if it’s a cry for help, I can’t ignore this message.’

“So I jumped on the phone to her. It was difficult because I didn’t know what to say – I’m not a professional. But I managed to talk her round a little bit.”

It comes after another fan messaged Wicks in April admitting his daily PE lessons had “saved her life” after feeling so low she “contemplated suicide.”

Joe Wicks hosting live PE sessions (Getty Images)

The fitness trainer was recently made an MBE for his services to fitness and charity after hosting live PE lessons on his YouTube channel when schools across the UK were closed due to coronavirus.

The lessons began as way for The Body Coach to help children to keep fit, but they fast captured the support of parents and celebrities, including Louis Theroux, Sam Smith and Marvin Humes.

Wicks – who has 3.9million Instagram followers – has spoken out about his own struggle with mental health, admitting on social media that he was finding the uncertainty around the pandemic overwhelming.

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A post shared by Joe Wicks (@thebodycoach)

Speaking on an Instagram video in September, he said: "I can really feel, for the first time, this is starting to take an effect on my mental health, it's really bringing me down.

"I'm finding hard to be positive, I'm finding it confusing, I feel like I can't even understand, I can't even comprehend where the end is.

“That feeling of powerlessness and confusion is quite a hard thing to deal with.”

Encouraging others to be honest about how their feeling, Wicks added: "This is such a tough time – emotionally, spiritually, mentally – and I think it’s important to talk about it. You are not alone."

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.