JOE WICKS TO FRONT BBC MENTAL HEALTH DOC

In the course of one remarkable year, Joe Wicks has gone from being an Insta-famous health & fitness guru to a full-blown national treasure, drawing millions to his online PE sessions during lockdown and winning the country over with his energy, charm and optimism.

But behind this positivity is a poignant personal story: Joe was brought up by parents who struggled with their mental health. His mother suffered from acute OCD and his father battled heroin addiction. In this intimate and emotionally powerful film Joe will revisit his childhood and have frank discussions with his family and friends, revealing how his experiences motivated him to keep healthy.

Joe says: "I've spent a lot of time helping people improve their physical health, but as a child that grew up in a home with parents that struggled with their mental health, I know that this is just as important, especially given what's happened over the last year.

"I'm passionate about exploring it and I want to use my own experience to connect and help families today who are in similar situations to the one I was in. I also want to share the message that exercise can be a really powerful tool in helping to boost our mental health."

Louis Theroux, Executive Producer, says: “I was one of the hundreds of thousands of people who flocked to Joe’s online work-outs on that first day of PE With Joe back in March 2020. I’m a true believer in Joe’s mission of improving your mental wellbeing through exercise and it is a complete thrill and privilege to be able to spread the word further in this documentary, while also showing a side of the nation’s favourite PE teacher they have never seen before. This is a dream project for me.”

Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Science, says: "The past year has put incredible pressure on families, especially those where parents have mental health conditions, and I'm incredibly grateful to Joe and his family for sharing their story with the BBC. I hope that by doing so they will make it easier for people in a similar situation to reach out for help."​