Spencer Matthews has reflected on his incredible body transformation and shared shirtless before and after snaps to show his progress.
The former Made In Chelsea star, 35, took to his Instagram on Sunday to share a photo of him at the gym, with his chiselled six-pack on full display.
Next to it he shared another shirtless photo from several years ago, while he was filming the E4 reality show.
In the caption, Spencer said that he had been ‘lazy’ back then and suffering from ‘a serious drinking problem’ as his starring role on the popular series had caused him to become arrogant.
He explained that he worked hard to change his outlook and discipline, getting into exercising regularly and building up his fitness while also stopping his dependency on booze.
He penned: ‘Health and fitness never used to matter to me… Now, they serve as the core pillars for my personal development, professional progress and positive mental state.
‘On the left I was photographed in the street whilst filming Made In Chelsea. Run down and unfit – living with a serious drinking problem, spending all of my time and money partying.
‘I was lazy, inconsiderate and had a weak work ethic. My ego was inflated because I was a prominent character in a popular show and I felt like that would open doors for me.
‘Since then, experience has thought me that good opportunities rarely present themselves without sustained hard work and effort. The person that works harder and wants it more will usually win…
‘I had no drive, discipline or determination and would probably have struggled to run a mile.
‘On the right, I have made a concerted effort to change and no longer have issues with alcohol. I enjoy a solid and regular sporty routine consisting mostly of weightlifting and running. My mind is clear and my goals are limitless.
‘I’m currently training for a World Record attempt that is going to involve A LOT of running and can’t wait to begin the challenge… It will be an incredible adventure and we hope to raise some serious money to help as many people as possible. (More to come on this soon).’
Spencer then encouraged his followers to follow his example and test their limits to see how far they could progress.
He wrote: ‘The point of this post is to highlight that no matter where you are on your health journey, discipline and a strong mindset will take you a long way and it’s never too late to get started.
‘Pushing yourself through pain and discomfort builds resilience, and with resilience you can truly test yourself and figure out where your limits are. You might surprise yourself, but in any case you’ll grow.
‘If you haven’t started, why not start now?? I’ve never met anyone who’s made a positive change to their life and regretted it…’
His inspirational post comes after Spencer admitted he ‘could have died’ at the height of his drinking when he would consume up to 10 pints of beer a day.
He first began to battle a drinking problem when he started his career in finance as a city trader.
Spencer’s issues were exacerbated by his role on Made In Chelsea where he was notorious for his booze-fuelled partying and relationship drama.
The father-of-three decided to quit drinking in 2018 to save his marriage to presenter Vogue Williams.
Earlier this month, Spencer spoke about his decision to give up booze for good and what caused the excessive drinking in the first place on Vogue’s Taboo Talk podcast.
Spencer explained: ‘I always had jobs where being able to handle your drink really well was a huge bonus.
‘I was a trader at ICAP and we would drink five to 10 pints every single day and then take clients out at night and if you couldn’t do that, you wouldn’t get the job, basically.’
With the help of Vogue, he recalled the situation he found himself in that made him decide to turn his life around.
He said: ‘I had a moment of clarity when I was drinking on my own at night if Vogue wasn’t around. All of a sudden I was going to bed drunk.
‘One night, when I was alone, I had a bottle of whiskey and struggled to get myself to bed. I was hammered drunk. I remember waking up the next day and I thought, “I don’t need this in my life.”
‘If I wasn’t married to someone who didn’t have a great relationship with alcohol, as in you don’t really like it, then my journey would have been more difficult.’
He continued: ‘It’s not like I just fancied giving up drinking. I could have lost you, I could have lost work, I could have died – not to be overly dramatic about it, but that’s the way it was heading.’
Spencer doesn’t consider himself an alcoholic as he can now drink in moderation, saying: ‘Before, having one glass would have turned into ten and then I’d be out all night.
‘I’m sober most of the time, now. I’ve gone from problem-drinking on a daily basis to having a drink if I feel like it very irregularly.
‘I no longer see it as a problem. I have great balance in my life.’
Spencer and Vogue met on reality show The Jump in 2017 and tied the knot the following year, before welcoming their children Theo, five, Gigi, three, and Otto, one.
In 2020, Vogue opened up about how Spencer’s binge drinking had affected her, confessing: ‘He was becoming quite difficult to live with.
‘His boozing had gotten out of control. And he wasn’t the type of person I’d have liked to have been married to.’
In the years since, Spencer has spoken about his journey away from alcohol dependence several times.
After his first child’s birth, Spencer founded CleanCo, which sells non-alcoholic spirits.
He told The Times in 2019: ‘My relationship with alcohol became unsustainable. For people who are going to ask, “Were you an alcoholic?” I suppose the short answer is “Yes.”‘
‘I would be all on or all off. I’d give up for three months and feel incredible. But for some reason I’d always go back to it.’
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
