Reverend Richard Coles has revealed he is now taking weight loss jab Ozempic as a ‘birthday present to myself’.
The injections have long been hailed as a monumental breakthrough in the war on obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Now, the former Communards star, who came third on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in December, said he opted for the drug ‘because I’m too fat and I want to lose some weight’.
The 63-year-old former Church of England vicar has not yet suffered any unpleasant side effects.
He told The Independent: ‘My birthday present to myself was Ozempic, because I’m too fat and I want to lose some weight — it’s affecting my health I think.
‘I could do it the regular way but realistically if I’m very busy I need all the help I can get.
‘My stomach feels a bit different, not unpleasantly, weirdly low in appetite. It seems to be diminished.’
He added: ‘I just don’t want to get dependent on something just to keep health-threatening weight off.
Reverand Richard Coles said he opted for the drug ‘ because I’m too fat and I want to lose some weight’
Blockbuster weight loss jabs , including Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro, have long been hailed as a monumental breakthrough in the war on obesity and type 2 diabetes
‘I want to get down to a reasonable weight and then maintain it without the assistance of pharmacy. I want to lose two stone.’
At least half a million NHS patients and some 15million in the US are now thought to be using weight loss jabs, which can help patients lose up to 20 per cent of their bodyweight in just a few months.
They have also been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
However, side effects are wide-ranging, from nausea and abdominal pain to severe digestive issues and even bone pain.
Other reported problems using the jabs include constipation, fatigue, headaches, dizziness and even hair loss.
It comes just weeks after Richard also revealed he now needs hearing aids after his wild Eighties pop career had a damaging effect on his ears.
Speaking to The Times he admitted he had only started taking his ear issues seriously when his tinnitus became overwhelming despite significant warning signs, including irritated friends telling him to turn the TV down.
He was then given two tiny hearing aids, which offer a variety of settings including adjustable volume and the ability to tune into conversation or background noise depending on the occasion.
In December, Richard made it to ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2024 final alongside winner Danny Jones and Coleen Rooney
Richard was a member of hit British band Bronski Beat from 1983 until he formed the Communards with Jimmy Somerville in 1985.
The duo released music for just three years but in that time they managed to land 1986’s top-selling single, a version of Don’t Leave Me This Way.
Under official guidelines, only patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 35 and at least one weight-related health problem like high blood pressure, or those who have a BMI of 30 to 34.9 and meet the criteria for referral to a specialist weight management service, should be prescribed weight loss jabs.
In the UK, law forbids the sale of such drugs without a prescription from a medical professional.
