A DJ has revealed how he grappled with his weight problem to become a professional wrestler on a TV show presented by Davina McCall.
Millions of viewers were expected to tune in to watch This Time Next Year on STV on Wednesday night.
The television show features ordinary people on a mission to transform their lives over the space of a year.
Radio broadcaster Chris Duke, 33, told his incredible story — in which he decided to turn his life around after tipping the scales at 25 stone.
The show tracked his progress over 12 months as he dropped eight-and-a-half stone, enabling him to achieve his dream and enter the ring as a professional wrestler for the first time.
Speaking to the Evening Telegraph, Chris said that cruel taunts about his weight had motivated him to take drastic action.
Chris had previously been involved in a Dundee local wrestling promotion — Scottish Wrestling event Hell For Lycra— which took place in 2015.
The reaction he got after his appearance influenced his decision to sign up for the ITV show.
He said: “I’ve always been a fan of wrestling. I had been approached last year to enter the wrestling ring.
“At that point I was a big boy, weighing 25 stone.
“After the event, I got some slagging online about my size, which wasn’t very nice — it was borderline bullying in fact.
“I’d say those comments definitely gave me a bit of a kick up the backside.
“When the show mentioned I would also be losing weight as part of the project, I went for it. I got a personal trainer and I trained with the SWE guys for the wrestling side of it.”
Chris — a radio presenter with Dundee-based Wave 102 — said that Davina “loved” the idea of him becoming a professional wrestler.
He added: “Its all a bit of a daze now. I remember going back to the studio and Davina wanted me to do a series of wrestling poses.
“When we look back through the footage to see how I got on she was shocked to see how physical the training was to become a professional wrestler.
“The initial conversation with Davina and the year after side of it lasted about 15 minutes each.
“I really felt that she was incredibly supportive and invested in every story.”
Chris, who lives in Forfar with his wife Lisa and their two daughters five-year-old Alyssa and Summer, three, said he hopes his story will inspire others who want to change their lives.
*This Time Last Year aired on STV at 8pm on Wednesday November 9. To view the episode, click here.