BEN FORDHAM
The television host and father-of-three reveals how ‘Australian Ninja Warrior’ got his health back on track
How he lost 15kg
Being surrounded by athletes and working on a TV show that challenges fitness levels of people around the nation has sparked host Ben Fordham’s journey to a fitter lifestyle. Speaking to WHO, the 40-year-old revealed that working on the Ninja Warrior (season three premieres July 8, 7.30pm on Nine) has made him reassess his choices. “Ninja’s really inspired me in a way because I’ve found myself all of a sudden, for the first time in my life, getting off my fat a--- and doing some exercise.”
In a candid chat, Fordham admits: “I’ve gone from 97 kilograms down to 82, so I’ve lost 15 kilos.” Although he wasn’t severely overweight, the dad of two – with one on the way with wife Jodie Speers – he reveals he felt the pressure to make a change in his life. “I was just sick of looking at all these fit people while I was sitting in the commentary box eating sausage rolls and then washing it down with something to drink, and some
chocolate and lollies and whatever – so when I did Season 2 of Ninja Warrior I remember turning up and Rebecca Maddern was pregnant and I had this realisation – I thought, ‘She’s heavily pregnant and I look like I’m more pregnant than her,’ and I saw some footage from year one and I was like, oh, I’ve packed it – I’ve swallowed a sheep between year one and year two,” he recalls. “I had a bit of a moment where I went, ‘Right, I’ve really got right into it, and I think part of it is because I’ve met a lot of these people who have all got their own theories and strategies and ideas when it comes to fitness and health. And being surrounded by those people for weeks and months on end, as I have been through this whole process, so I don’t know – some of it must of rubbed off and now I’ve become one of those people.”
So, can we see him making his way on the show as a contestant? “I’m not on a Ninja level just yet, but you never know – I might have a crack on it myself. I think I’m now ready; I’m now ready to have a go. I can’t promise that I can complete obstacle number one, but I certainly all of a sudden in my head think that I’m up for having a crack at it,” he deadpans.
While he’s not confident he’ll win the competition himself, Fordham reveals he’s thrilled his healthy habits are being noticed by his son, Freddy, 4, and daughter Pearl, 20 months.
“I’m now ready to have a go” —Ben Fordham
“I’ve just noticed that even just by saying to the kids, ‘Oh, I’ve got to go to training,’ the kids go, ‘First of all, what’s training, what’s that?’ then I explain it to them, and then before you know it, now when I say I’m going down to the stairs, Fred says, ‘Can I come?’ so when I walk up and down the stairs he walks up and down the stairs. And I’d never thought he’d do it, because I took some toys down and said, ‘Mate, you just play with your toys while I run up and down the stairs,’ and he said, ‘No, I want to go up and down the stairs.’ So, it’s probably setting the right example for them as well.”