Joseph Trevor Wicks (born 21 September 1985), also known as The Body Coach,[1] is a British fitness coach, television presenter, social media personality and author.[2] His fitness method uses High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts.[3] Starting off by posting 15-second recipe videos on social media, Wicks grew his brand to become one of the most followed fitness accounts on Instagram and YouTube.
Joe Wicks | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wicks in 2025 | |
| Born | Joseph Trevor Wicks 21 September 1985 Epsom, Surrey, England |
| Education | St Mary's University, Twickenham |
| Occupation | Coach |
| Spouse |
Rosie Jones (m. 2019) |
| Children | 4 |
| Website | www |
His first published cookbook Lean in 15: 15-minute meals was a best-seller in 2015, having sold over 900,000 copies.[4][5][6] He has created a "90 Day Plan" with workouts and meals with portions tailored to the individual. Wicks was awarded a Guinness World Record for "most viewers for a fitness workout live stream on YouTube", after achieving over 950,000 viewers on 24 March 2020 for his second live stream.[7]
Early life
editWicks was born in Epsom, Surrey to Gary Wicks, a roofer, and Raquel Mosquera, a social worker of Spanish and Italian descent. He grew up on a council estate in Ewell with his parents and two brothers, Nikki and George.[8] Wicks attended Blenheim High School in Epsom, Surrey[9] and NESCOT technology college in Ewell.[10] He went on to study sports science at St Mary's University in Twickenham.
Career
editWicks worked as a teaching assistant after completing his sports science degree.[11] After realising it was not his ideal job, he became a personal trainer for the next five years.[11] In 2012, he appeared as a contestant on the Channel 4 game show The Bank Job. He went out first after being the only player left in the vault when the time ran out.[12] A segment on Channel 4 named Joe Wicks: The Body Coach aired in 2016 with Wicks as the presenter. As of 2020 there have been 3 episodes.[13] Wicks launched a range of kitchenware in 2018.[14] In 2024, Wicks caused controversy by saying that ADHD is caused by diet.[15]
Online presence
editWicks began to gain traction for his fitness- and nutrition-related content on social media. In 2014 he began posting videos to Instagram relating to workouts and nutrition advice.[16] He has amassed over 4.7 million followers on his Instagram account.[17] He launched a website called The Body Coach where he sells his kitchenware and a range of fitness/nutrition plans.[18][19] Wicks has been recognised by several major publications, such as Harper's Bazaar, Elle UK and Forbes for his online fitness efforts.[20][21][22][23]
YouTube
editHe began posting fitness content to his YouTube channel, named 'The Body Coach TV', in 2014. His first video garnered over 6 million views.[24] The channel has amassed over 2.7 million subscribers and more than 282 million views.[25] Wicks also topped both the YouTube charts as the number one trending and breakout creator of the year.[26] During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he began "PE with Joe" on YouTube to try to help children stay active; this livestream had a wide impact and was viewed by over a million users worldwide.[27] The first stream occurred on 23 March and ended almost one year later, on 5 March. For this, he was awarded his MBE in the Birthday Honours of 2020.[28] He is a Channel 4 television presenter with his own show The Body Coach.[29]
On January 28, 2023, Joe Wicks hosted a 5K fun run at Nonsuch Park. It was attended by celebrities including fellow YouTube personalities Matthew Houghton and Alex Gurteen.[30]
Books
editIn 2015, Wicks published a cookbook named Lean in 15: The Shift Plan which sold 77,000 copies in its opening week.[16] He released a further two books in the Lean in 15 series, including Lean in 15: The Shape Plan, released 2016 and "Lean in 15: The Sustain Plan", also in 2016.[31] Since the success of the Lean in 15 series, Wicks has published several more cookbooks.
Charity
editIn November 2020, Wicks completed a 24-hour workout challenge which raised over £2 million for Children in Need. Blue Peter awarded him a Gold Blue Peter Badge as a thank you on behalf of Children in Need.[32] In June 2021, Wicks became Patron of The Amber Foundation, a youth homeless charity.[33] Surrey-born Wicks first became aware of The Amber Foundation after his mother, a social worker, started to work with some of the residents at their site near Dorking in Surrey. Since then, Wicks has visited the centre on a number of occasions, donating fitness equipment and giving advice on physical activity and nutrition.
Television
editIn January 2025, Wicks appeared as an investor on British product-pitching reality show Dragons' Den.[34]
In October 2025, Wicks appeared in the Channel 4 documentary Joe Wicks: Licensed to Kill[35] in which he created a protein bar from legal ingredients he claimed were dangerous.[36] This received criticism from sectors within the UK food[37][38] and wellbeing industries as fear-mongering.[39]
Personal life
editWicks married former glamour model Rosie Jones in June 2019.[40] Together they have four children—a daughter born July 2018, a son born December 2019, a second daughter born September 2022 and a second son born June 2024. They live in Kingston upon Thames.
Bibliography
edit| Year | Title | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Lean in 15 - The Shift Plan: 15 Minute Meals and Workouts to Keep You Lean and Healthy | Pan Macmillan | ISBN 978-1-5098-0066-7 (Paperback, 224 pages) |
| 2016 | Lean in 15 - The Shape Plan: 15 Minute Meals With Workouts to Build a Strong, Lean Body | ISBN 978-1-5098-0069-8 (Paperback, 240 pages) | |
| Lean in 15 - The Sustain Plan: 15 Minute Meals and Workouts to Get You Lean for Life | ISBN 978-1-5098-2022-1 (Paperback, 240 pages) | ||
| 2017 | The Fat Loss Plan:100 Quick and Easy Recipes With Workouts | ISBN 978-1-5098-3607-9 (Paperback, 240 pages) | |
| Cooking for Family and Friends: 100 Lean Recipes to Enjoy Together | ISBN 978-1-5098-2025-2 (Hardback, 240 pages) | ||
| 2018 | Joe's 30 Minute Meals: 100 Quick and Healthy Recipes | ISBN 978-1-78517-512-1 (Hardback, 240 pages) | |
| Veggie Lean in 15: 15-minute Veggie Meals with Workouts | ISBN 978-1-5098-5615-2 (Paperback, 240 pages) | ||
| 2019 | Veggie BBQ: 10 Brand-new Lean in 15 Recipes | ISBN 978-1-5098-5617-6 (E-book, 32 pages) | |
| 2020 | Wean In 15: A book of baby meals | ISBN 978-1-5290-1633-8 (Hardback, 240 pages) | |
| 2020 | 30 Day Kick Start Plan | ISBN 978-1-5098-5618-3 (Paperback, 272 pages) | |
| 2021 | Joe's Family Food: 100 Delicious, Easy Recipes to Enjoy Together | ISBN 978-1529016314 (Hardback, 240 pages) | |
| 2022 | Feel Good Food | HQ | ISBN 978-0008430382 (Hardback, 304 pages) |
| 2025 | Protein in 15 | Leap | ISBN 978-1785128547 (Hardback, 224 pages) |
References
edit- ↑ Companies House (16 January 2015). "Joe Wicks Ltd". Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ↑ "World Economic Forum on Instagram: "Have you attended one of Joe's lessons? Learn more by tapping the link in our bio. #coronavirus #covid19 #health #exercise #lockdown"". Instagram. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ↑ Sanders, Maria (14 August 2014). "What is HIIT Workout". Modern Fit. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ↑ "'I want to be the voice that gets the nation healthy': Joe Wicks on being the next Jamie Oliver". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ↑ "'Lean in 15: The Shape Plan by Joe Wicks – digested read". The Guardian. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ↑ "Personal Training in Watford". Cage Fit Gyms. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ↑ Johnson, April (15 April 2020). "Joe Wicks lands Guinness World Record with workout live stream". Yahoo! News.
- ↑ Heritage, Stuart (18 June 2016). "Meet the Body Coach, the man with the million-dollar muscles". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ Nightingale, Laura (23 December 2016). "Kids get good food and exercise tips from The Body Coach". getsurrey. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ↑ "Our Kids Need Joe Wicks Now More Than Ever". Love it!. ACH Publishing. 18 February 2021. pp. 26–27.
- 1 2 Heritage, Stuart (18 June 2016). "Meet the Body Coach, the man with the million-dollar muscles". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ "The Bank Job - 3 February 2012 (S1E2)". Dailymotion. 3 February 2012.
- ↑ "Joe Wicks: The Body Coach". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ "Joe Wicks". Meyer Group Ltd. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ Kelly, Sarah-Louise (12 April 2024). "Joe Wicks Is Getting Schooled For Saying ADHD Is Caused By... Food". HuffPost UK. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- 1 2 "Joe Wicks' amazing journey from skint PT to fitness mogul with a £14m empire". Metro. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ "Joe Wicks (@thebodycoach)". Instagram. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ The Body Coach (2020). "90 Day Plan / The Body Coach". The Body Coach. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ↑ The Body Coach. "Welcome / The Body Coach". The Body Coach. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ "Top Influencers of 2017: Fitness". Forbes. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ Barton, Merrilee. "Joe Wicks". Forbes. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ "10 Instagram accounts to follow for fitness Inspiration". Harper's Bazaar. 2 January 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ Lawrenson, Amy (3 October 2014). "Think outside the cereal box". Elle. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ "HIIT Home Workout for beginners". YouTube. 29 August 2014.
- ↑ "The Body Coach TV". YouTube. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ "📈 The #1 Trend of 2020 & 2021". ViralWeGrow. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ↑ Bakare, Lanre (23 March 2020). "A million people livestream Joe Wicks online 'PE lesson'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ↑ "Joe Wicks says being made an MBE is 'a dream come true'". The Independent. 9 October 2020. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ↑ "Joe Wicks: The Body Coach". Channel 4. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ↑ "Joe Wicks forced to move run event due to 'safety' worries". 27 January 2023.
- ↑ "Lean in 15 - The Sustain Plan by Joe Wicks". Pan Macmillan. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ↑ Hogan, Michael (13 November 2020). "Children in Need 2020, recap: Joe Wicks and Marcus Rashford are heroes of 40th telethon". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ↑ Our Senior Team
- ↑ Richardson, Hollie; Verdier, Hannah; Jones, Ellen E. (9 January 2025). "# TV tonight: fitness guru Joe Wicks means business in Dragons' Den". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- ↑ "Channel 4 follows Joe Wicks as he develops "KILLER" protein bar to expose the truth of ultra-processed food". channel4.com. Channel Four Television Corporation. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ Wicks, Joe. "Joe Wicks: The protein industry is laughable. That's why I created the UK's most dangerous health bar". standard.co.uk. Evening Standard Ltd. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ Haslam, Olivia. "Joe Wicks' satirical 'Killer' protein bar stunt sparks backlash". nutraingredients.com. William Reed Ltd. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ Robinson, Nicholas. "Fitness guru Joe Wicks' anti-UPF rhetoric hurts more than his Killer bar". foodnavigator.com. William Reed Ltd. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ Geissler, Hanna. "I tried Joe Wicks's 'most dangerous' snack bar and was totally surprised". express.co.uk. Express Newspapers. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ Randell, Louise (29 June 2019). "Joe Wicks marries glamour model Rosie Jones in fairytale woodland ceremony". Daily Mirror. London. Retrieved 21 September 2020.