Mark "The Beast" Labbett says he suspects he caught Covid-19 in February. Photo / Supplied
Mark "The Beast" Labbett says he suspects he caught Covid-19 in February. Photo / Supplied
The Chase quiz master Mark Labbett recently showed off his lockdown weight loss, and now the star has also revealed he thinks he had Covid-19.
Labbett, 54, says that he was never tested for the virus. He told The Sun on Sunday that he had several concerning symptoms, including the "worst fever".
He told the publication he believed he contracted the virus at the end of February.
"I got suspected Covid at the end of February, and got sent home from work, for the first time in 15 years ... ITV were brilliant, and took no chances."
He said he was unable to get a test at that time, but elaborated on what it felt like to have the virus.
"Because the testing capacity was so limited then, I never formally got a test but all I can say is that for two weeks I had complete loss of appetite, no sense of smell, temperature, exhaustion, and the worst fever of my life."
The quiz master, who recently showed off his weight loss on Instagram, said the illness helped him stick to eating healthy.
Mark Labbett's Instagram post showing off his weight loss. Photo / Mark Labbett
"I basically didn't eat for two weeks but since then the weight has continued to drop off because I have continued to eat sensibly. I knew I had to," he told The Sun.
"Lost a bit of waistline, still a long way to go," he said in his recent Instagram post, showing off his weight loss with a stylish mirror selfie.
He added the hashtag "#skinnybeast" to his post.
In October, the star shared his health journey on Twitter, posting that he "lost four inches off my chest and six inches of my belly in the last six months."
The quiz master revealed he weighed in at 171kg at his heaviest, Hello! reports.
The Chase quiz master Paul Sinha also believes he had Covid-19. Photo / Supplied
The Mirror reported in October he shed 20kg, and was inspired to lose weight after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Another Chase quiz master told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking in June about his experience with suspected coronavirus.
Paul Sinha told NZME, like Labbett, he was unable to get tested at the time he became infected.
"What I did have was colossal tiredness, a persistent cough, a swinging fever, loss of taste and smell," Sinha said.
"It wasn't too bad, except for two days when I was very unwell indeed."
