Jody Bunting (born 27 January 1978), is a fitness instructor who was the 31-stone[1] TV host of Lose it with Jody on Channel 4 television's former morning show The Big Breakfast between 2001 and 2002.[2]

Jody Bunting
Born (1978-01-27) 27 January 1978 (age 46)
EducationHigh Peak College, Buxton
Occupations
  • Weight Loss Expert
  • Fitness Instructor
  • Holistic Lifestyle Coach
OrganisationSlim Brother
Height6 ft 0.5 in (184 cm)
SpouseNone (single)
Children1
AwardsIFS Group Exercise Manager of the Year 2005
Websitejodybunting.com

Early life

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Bunting was born on 27 January 1978 in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England.[3][better source needed] In 2000, he became father of a girl. One year later, he separated from the mother of his child.[4]

Career

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In 2001, Bunting stopped working at a call centre to teach fitness full-time.[5] He also starred in the line up to turn on the Burton-upon-Trent Christmas lights.[6]

After losing 275 pounds (125 kg) between 2001 and 2004,[7][8] Bunting underwent surgery in 2004 to remove his excess skin.[1]

He has won the "Group Exercise Manager of the Year"-award in 2005.[9]

Bunting moved to work in Egypt in 2006[4] and his company "The Fat Factor" was featured on BBC's The One Show in 2008.[4]

In 2009, he advised that less stress would encourage losing weight and launched relaxation and fitness classes with Lesley Smith.[10] In October 2009, Bunting helped raising money for a breast cancer charity by cycling in pink[11] and by abseiling down Derby Cathedral raised money in aid of the Derby Mountain Rescue Team.[12]

He offered weight-loss courses in Derby in 2010[13] and some of his clients were featured in the local newspaper for their weight loss success.[14]

In 2016, Bunting offered free online weight loss courses called Slim Brother, plus classes in Derby and Burton-upon-Trent. He revealed that in his 15 years in the fitness industry he would have helped over 5,000 people lose weight and taught over 78,000 hours of fitness classes.[15]

Bunting presented a talent show, "Sharm's Got Talent", in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in 2017.[2]

In 2018, Bunting came out publicly as gay on a YouTube video and champions Derbyshire LGBT+ Pride, admitting he knew he was gay when he was 13-years-old.[16]

He re-started his fitness program Slim Brother after parting company with Weight Watchers in 2019.[17]

In 2021 Aldi UK hired Bunting to taste test their new Easter Chocolate Egg range.[18]

In 2022 Bunting dressed up as "Pink Gaga" and appeared in his local village carnival.[19] Later in the year he supported one of his slimmers to run the London Marathon.[20]

2023 saw Bunting's daughter Phoebe thank him publicly for helping her transform her body when she became vegan.[21] Later in the year Bunting wrote a piece for Derbyshire Live stating why he thinks obesity shouldn't be normalised.[22]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 ITV's The Trisha Goddard Show Guest "Is fat sexy" Episode
2001-2002 Channel 4's The Big Breakfast Diet & Fitness Expert 40 Episodes
2001-2003 Ram FM Outside Broadcaster 500+ Shows
2002 Sky's Lorraine Weight Loss Expert Guest Expert
2003 BBC's SAS: Are You Tough Enough Weight Loss Expert Celebrity Contestant
2003 Channel 4's The Fit Farm Diet & Fitness Expert Teaching the guests how to pole dance
2003 Channel 4's The Salon Fitness Instructor Colonic Irrigation Patient
2003 ITV's The Jeremy Kyle Show Weight Loss Expert "Lose weight or die" Episode
2008 BBC's The One Show Weight Loss Expert The Fat Factor auditions
2017 ITV's This Morning Fitness Instructor Holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
2023 GB News Channel Obesity Expert Should Obesity Be Normalised?
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References

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  1. ^ a b "Last hurdle for dieting champion". BBC News. 19 May 2004.
  2. ^ a b "Derbyshire TV fitness guru Joseph Spendlove - formerly known as Jody Bunting - defies terrorists". Derby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017.
  3. ^ "jodybunting.com - About". Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Jody's vow to be world's top pop". Burton Mail. 24 October 2008. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Obese fitness instructor appeals to the masses". Leisure Opportunities news. 22 June 2001. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  6. ^ "'Fantasmagorical' switch on". Burton Mail. 22 November 2001. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  7. ^ Fearnehough, David (15 December 2010). Derbyshire Extremes. ISBN 978-1-4456-2780-9.
  8. ^ "Lightweight Jody looks flab-u-less". Burton Mail. 13 September 2003. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Jody scoops top fitness award". Burton Mail. 15 June 2005. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Meditation and fitness class at Tutbury Castle". Derby Telegraph. 29 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Pedal 1,426 miles? No sweat!". Derby Telegraph. 7 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Slimmers get sinking feeling". Derby Telegraph. 6 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Slimmers urged to be big losers". Derby Telegraph. 23 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  14. ^ "How a health scare led to a happier me". Derby Telegraph. 7 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Quirky fitness instructor Jody Bunting reflects". Derby Telegraph. [dead link]
  16. ^ "Gay dad champions Derbyshire Pride - after estranged daughter reached out to him". DerbyshireLive. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  17. ^ "TV fitness guru Jody Bunting apologises after being sacked by Weight Watchers". DerbyshireLive. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Derby weight-loss coach becomes Aldi's Easter egg taster". DerbyshireLive. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Jody Bunting joining Hatton Carnival parade dressed as woman named 'Pink Gaga'". StaffordshireLive. 13 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Derby grandad's three stone weight loss transformation". DerbyTelegraph. 28 August 2022.
  21. ^ "Ex-binge eater from Derby goes vegan, ditches pizzas and now teaches her own fitness classes". DerbyshireLive. 2 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Jody Bunting: 'I used to be 31st but being overweight shouldn't be normalised'". DerbyTelegraph. 8 March 2023.