I nearly drowned trying to turn back time
ROY WALKER Next week the former Catchphrase host appears on new show 100 Years Younger In 21 Days but, as he tells SUE CRAWFORD, stopping the ageing process was the least of his worries
recorded by Gogglebox star Sandra Martin, 55. She was told she had the face of a 60-year-old, the body of a 69-year-old and the brain of an 86-year-old.
At the end of the three-week stint the group were assessed again to discover if they had reached their combined goal of losing 100 years from their collective ages.
The celebrities began by ditching their old eating habits. “There were three simple rules,” Roy says. “No bread, no pasta and no potatoes.
“The nutritionist was adamant about that. According to her, these foods were attacking our gut. She explained there is ‘infection’ in our gut and we are just keeping it going. If you cut out these foods then you don’t need to diet. Instead we ate a lot of fish and vegetables for breakfast and no dairy whatsoever.”
Some nutritionists believe that those foods feed the “bad” bacteria in your gut, which then causes an imbalance and can lead to ill health and weight gain.
While Roy embraced his new diet, he wasn’t so enthusiastic about other aspects of the show. “Some things we were doing were ridiculous. They even monitored our poo, which was embarrassing.”
The group also tried a host of extreme anti-ageing treatments from snail-slime facials to urotherapy. In the snail facials five of the creatures crawled across their faces for 20 minutes.
Urotherapy involves dabbing urine on your face. The uric acid exfoliates and helps the body absorb nutrients. “These were beauty tips which sound abhorrent but I’m not talking about splashing it all over,” laughs Roy.
In an attempt to reduce their blood pressure and heart rates they were then taken to a petting zoo. “I had a miniature horse I had to look after,” Roy says. “We had to wash them, feed them, pet them and give them names. It was to make us feel better. Before we left they tested our heart rate and do you know what? They all went down.”
The group also met Sardinians to discover the secret of their longevity. Sardinia is one of five designated world “blue zones” where the populations live healthier and longer lives. Research has linked it to their diet, exercise and lifestyle. The village of Seulo holds the record of 20 centenarians out of a population of 900.
Roy, who was born in Belfast, has enjoyed a 40-year career in showbusiness after shooting to fame in 1977 when he won the TV talent show New Faces. He became a regular on The Comedians before going on to host Catchphrase. In 2016 he took part in The Real Marigold Hotel and these days he is still in demand on the comedy circuit and as a speaker on cruise ships.
With 100 Years Younger In 21 Days about to air, Roy insists he has no hard feelings about surfing. “I was an athlete when I was younger and I like fitness and health. I like living and I like working so if this programme was going to help me do that then I was very interested,” he said.
“I’m delighted I was able to do it. It was a great experience and an adventure I would have paid good money to be on. At my age I want to know things about myself.” 100 Years Younger In 21 Days starts on ITV, February 27 at 9pm.