Strictly Come Dancing star and former Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite has broken down in tears while revealing his secret five-year battle with steroid addiction, confessing the substances made him want to take his own life.
The Emotional Confession
The 36-year-old television personality fought back tears during a deeply personal video shared on Instagram, where he delivered a heartfelt message about his struggle with performance-enhancing drugs. Whaite explained that his addiction began during the coronavirus lockdown when he looked in the mirror and felt profoundly unhappy with his appearance.
"I first started taking them during lockdown because I looked in the mirror and I hated what I saw," the emotional star revealed. "I tried working out, I tried dieting - I was really strict with my diet - but nothing changed, I couldn't gain muscle. Looking back, there was nothing wrong with me - I had a normal body."
The Devastating Consequences
Whaite acknowledged he had been "disrespecting his body" ever since that pivotal moment and detailed the severe psychological and physical impact the substances have had on his wellbeing. In his powerful statement, he declared: "Steroid addiction - the truth. For the past five years I've let myself down. I haven't respected my body or my mind, I've put body image before my own wellbeing and before time with my family. Steroids have made me want to end my life. That stops today. Right now."
The TV star described how external validation fueled his dangerous cycle: "The more that people acknowledged how I looked on steroids, the more I felt good about myself." However, he courageously shared the physical consequences, including:
- Significant testicular shrinkage
- Irregular sex drive
- Engaging in behaviour he now regrets
Choosing Recovery and a New Path
Following an outpouring of support from friends, family and followers - including ITV hair and makeup artist Scott Beswick and singer Olly Alexander - Whaite posted a follow-up message expressing gratitude for everyone's encouragement. He stressed that now "is the time for recovery - nothing more" and declared he now "chooses life" and desires a "simpler life" moving forward.
In his Instagram Stories, Whaite explained he's "prioritising regulating my hormones and health, and will speak about it more when the time is right, and in a way that I feel is most respectful to the subject matter and to myself." This revelation comes after the star announced earlier this year he was leaving OnlyFans, and in September shared that his baked goods shop Ruff Puff Bakehouse and brownies brand have reconnected him with a "true sense of purpose" for the first time in over a decade.
