Joe Wicks' transformation from personal trainer to £14 m internet star

From handing out flyers at tube stations to TV’s most in-demand man: The Body Coach star Joe Wicks’ transformation from cash-strapped personal trainer to a £14 million internet sensation (and he bagged a glamour model wife in the process!)

  • Joe, 33, attempted to kickstart his bootcamp business with a £2,000 loan from his parents eight years ago
  • The star claims he ‘didn’t make any money for a year’ and spent time handing out flyers to passersby
  • After discovering his passion for fitness and nutrition Joe began sharing clips on Instagram in 2014
  • He quickly amassed a strong social following and soon signed a deal for his Lean in 15 book series
  • The fitness guru is now believed to be worth around £14.5 thanks to book deals, TV shows and diet plans
  • Joe is married to former Page 3 girl Rosie Jones who he shares two children with – Indie and Marley 
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Two major broadcasters are currently fighting over him to front a stay at home fitness show following his YouTube success amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

However things haven’t always been quite so glamorous for The Body Coach star Joe Wicks, who came from much more humble beginnings – where he tried to kickstart his bootcamp business with a £2,000 loan from his parents. 

Eight years ago, Joe, 33, was handing out flyers to his Rumble In The Park classes opposite Richmond Tube station in south-west London, however so few people turned up he was unable to pay the money he loaned back.



Rise to stardom: Joe Wicks, 33, is currently hot property following his virtual PE class success and has two broadcasters desperate to work with him, however he has come from

The fitness guru has previously shed light on his council estate upbringing, where he admitted that his young mum had ‘no idea about healthy eating’ and would feed them pasta and sandwiches ‘every night’.

In 2018 Joe told the Mirror: ‘I grew up on a council estate. My mum left school at 15, had my brother at 16, then me at 19, she wasn’t educated, she was always on benefits.  My dad was a roofer and he was in and out of my life.’

He continued: ‘I borrowed two grand off my mum and dad to buy kettlebells and do a personal training course and started doing bootcamps.’ 


Married: During his rise to stardom, Joe met his now wife Rosie Jones, 29, who began her career at the age of 17 and worked as a glamour model and former Page 3 girl

Fighting spirit: Joe, 33, handed out flyers to his Rumble In The Park classes opposite Richmond Tube station in south-west London, however so few people turned up he was unable to pay the money loaned for the training course back


Candid: The fitness guru has previously shed light on his council estate upbringing, where he admitted that his young mum had ‘no idea about healthy eating’ and would feed them pasta and sandwiches ‘every night’ (Joe pictured doing one of his virtual work outs)

‘I remember I was really upset because I didn’t have any clients and I thought I’d never be able to pay my parents back. But I loved personal training, I instantly thought, “This is what I’m supposed to be doing,” and it all accelerated from there.’

Joe revealed that while trying to get his business off the ground in 2012 he didn’t ‘make a single penny for a year’, before discovering that he could reach people on Instagram through a gap in the market.

When the social media app launched a video function in 2014, Joe began uploading motivational clips about fitness and nutrition, which quickly gained traction with those looking for healthy living tips.

Healthy living: When the social media app launched a video function in 2014, Joe began uploading motivational clips about fitness and nutrition, which quickly gained traction with those looking for healthy living tips (pictured in 2017)


Yum! The Body Coach brand is based on a unique exercise and nutrition plan, after Joe became convinced that traditional restrictive diets were in futility and liberal healthy-eating was the way forward

The videos began with Joe chatting in his kitchen, gaining confidence with each video and becoming ‘louder and cheekier’ until his community was built – after just eight months he had 44,000 followers.

A pivotal moment in Joe’s career was meeting bestselling author of start-up guide Do It! Or Ditch it! Bev James, who he claims ‘turned him from a young guy with enthusiasm into a businessman with a strategy’.

Joe is quoted on her website saying: ‘Bev said to me on day one, ‘Joe you’ll be a star and you will have your own cook book and TV show’. No one had ever had that confidence in me before.’

Although Joe can still see Richmond tube station from his work, it is now from his Body Coach HQ, where he employs 50 staff and turns over millions each year. Joe is believed to be worth an eye-watering £14.5 million.


Rolling in it! Although Joe can still see Richmond tube station from his work, it is from his Body Coach Head Quarters where he employs 50 staff and turns over millions each year. Joe is believed to be worth an eye-watering £14.5 million (pictured right in 2018)

In 2017 he told the Express: ‘I took my mum to the office for the first time the other day. When she saw the building, she was so proud she cried. My mum, dad and nana can’t believe I’ve got this proper global company. Neither can I. Sometimes I go in and think ‘I’m the bloody boss!’

The Body Coach brand is based on a unique exercise and nutrition plan, after Joe became convinced that traditional restrictive diets were in futility and liberal healthy-eating was the way forward. 

Joe launched his first book – Lean in 15 – in December 2015 and it sold 77,000 during its first week, breaking a world record previously held by esteemed cook Delia Smith.

Mentor: A pivotal moment in Joe’s career was meeting bestselling author of start-up guide Do It! Or Ditch it! Bev James, who he claims ‘turned him from a young guy with enthusiasm into a businessman with a strategy


Book deals: Lean in 15 became a bestseller and is now believed to have sold more than 900,000

The book is also reportedly responsible for a 25 per cent increase in tender-stem broccoli, due to it regularly featuring in Joe’s mouth-watering meals.

Lean in 15 became a bestseller and is now believed to have sold more than 900,000. 

Joe is tied to a six-book deal with his publisher and has so far released three Lean in 15 books, as well as a Veggie version to cater for non-meat eaters.

Apart of Joe’s appeal is his 90 day plan, which promises to overhaul your body in three months. The plan is tailored to suit the client after they fill in a questionnaire on his website or app.

Love: The couple announced their engaged in November 2018 before tying the knot 18 months later in a woodland ceremony

Family: The couple welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Indie, in May 2018


Lucrative: Joe is tied to a six-book deal with his publisher and has so far released three Lean in 15 books, as well as a Veggie version to cater for non-meat eaters

In 2018 it was reported that Joe had already sold 110,000 of the £126-per client package.

As well as lucrative book deals and app launches, Joe also hosted two series of his own show The Body Coach on Channel 4 in 2018, he told the Mail earlier this week: ‘I bothered Channel 4 for two years about doing a show and they kept saying, ‘We can’t do it, Joe. We haven’t got the budget’.

‘This week both Channel 4 and the BBC have been on the phone, asking, ‘What can we do together?’ 

During his rise to stardom, Joe met his now wife Rosie Jones, 29, who began her career at the age of 17 and worked as a glamour model and former Page 3 girl.

Fitness: As well as lucrative book deals and app launches, Joe also hosted two series of his own show The Body Coach on Channel 4 in 2018, he told the Mail earlier this week: ‘I bothered Channel 4 for two years about doing a show and they kept saying, ‘We can’t do it, Joe. We haven’t got the budget’

Rosie joined Samatha Bond Management in 2007 before she began ‘nude’ modelling a year later. 

Joe kept his relationship with Rosie under wraps until fans began speculating they were together after they shared identical holiday snaps on Richard Branson’s Necker Island in 2016.

Just months later Joe revealed he was already head over heels for Rosie, as he told the Mirror: ‘She’s definitely The One. But some things you have to keep for yourself. I live on social media every day, so the only thing I have that’s private really is me and my girlfriend.’

The couple welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Indie, in May 2018.  

Buzzing! Joe said at the time: ‘I’ve always chosen to keep my personal life and relationship private but with such an amazing new thing coming into our lives I thought it would be nice to share the news with you myself. We are both absolutely buzzing to be parents’

Beaming: Joe shared this sweet snap on the due date of their first child Indie

Joe said at the time: ‘I’ve always chosen to keep my personal life and relationship private but with such an amazing new thing coming into our lives I thought it would be nice to share the news with you myself. We are both absolutely buzzing to be parents.

‘We don’t know the sex of the baby but it’s due in just over 10 weeks time. #TheBabyCoach coming soon..!

Joe also candidly revealed that they had sadly suffered a miscarriage before welcoming Indie. 

Speaking on the Happy Mum podcast not long after Indie’s birth, he said: ‘[Rosie] fell pregnant really quick but unfortunately that baby was a miscarriage, so it didn’t quite progress, but two months later she fell pregnant again and then Indie was born.’ 

The couple announced their engagement in November 2018 and tied the knot 18 months later in a woodland ceremony. Posting a shot from their wedding on Instagram, Joe said:

Here we go! PE With Joe is broadcast as an easy-to-follow 30 minute workout on his YouTube account at 9AM Monday-Friday

‘Just married. Having such an amazing day so far with all our family and friends.’ 

Joe and Rosie welcomed their second child – a son named Marley – into the world in December 2019 and revealed at the time that he had been born three weeks early.

Describing him as the ‘best early Christmas present ever’, Joe shared on Instagram: ‘He decided to come 3 weeks earlier than expected and weighs 5lb 14ox. Rosie and the baby are both happy and doing great.

‘We still haven’t got a name for him yet, but I’ll share it when we do.’

Joe and Rosie announced they were expecting their second child in August last year.

At the time, the couple revealed they were due to welcome their baby in January and had purposely chosen not to find out the sex until the birth. 

Mum! Joe and Rosie welcomed their second child – a son named Marley – into the world in December 2019 and revealed, at the time, that he had been born three weeks early

Fitness chic: Rosie followed Joe’s work outs while pregnant with their second child Marley

Following his skyrocketing success, both the BBC and Channel 4 have been on the phone since he started streaming live PE lessons for children via YouTube amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Joe, is said to be close to inking a deal with Channel 4 – after more than a million homes tuned in to the lessons, which he has pledged to undertake on a daily basis since schools were closed down on Friday across the UK.

A source has told The Sun: ‘Channel 4 have worked with Joe previously and were straight onto him once they saw he was going to be hosting live workouts daily. 

‘His YouTube streams have been watched in their droves, so they have offered him a deal to host a daily show for them which would be aired to the nation to get kids, and adults, moving every morning.

‘Nothing is signed yet but they are all hopeful something will work out.’

PE With Joe is broadcast as an easy-to-follow 30 minute workout on his YouTube account at 9AM Monday-Friday.

Adorable: Joe shared this snap of Indie pushing Marley’s pram after they welcomed him home

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