Paul McGlinchey, the leader of the Glasgow Bingo Lovers team on The Feelgood Factor, has cut out the rubbish he used to eat in order to meet the programme’s challenge.
He’s the manager of the bingo club whose participating members are being mentored by British Olympic Champion boxer James DeGale.
“It’s like a slimming club itself, and I think what’s happened is being on the television has upped the profile of our campaign to do it,” he said.
“And of course the team we’ve got here is great as well. They’re a great bunch of people, and quite a good laugh.”
Over the next eight weeks James will be working with the team, helping them work towards their target weight loss - a grand total of 144 lbs.
Each has pledged to lose two pounds a week and the money raised in their pound-for-pound challenge is to go towards Whizz-Kidz, a charity which helps children with disability become more independent.
Paul told us what’s he’s been doing to get in shape: “I’ve been doing a lot of walking about the park, a lot of walking with my young son Louis in the pram, I’ve been swimming in the local baths.
“I’ve basically been doing a lot of healthy eating, not eating a load of the rubbish I used to, and not consuming alcohol at all, which is good and I feel good!”
Grace Haggerty is another member of the Glasgow Bingo Lovers, and is taking part because for a long time she hasn’t done anything about her weight, and the show’s given her a lot of motivation to get started.
“Doing it in conjunction with the television programme is I think a really good idea,” she said. “Especially as part of a group because we’re quite competitive, we’re also quite friendly and we can cheer each other along.
“I stopped smoking four years ago, and there’s just been a gradual weight gain over those four years. I’ve never been this heavy in my life and I’ve got a two-year-old grandson who takes a lot of energy to look after, so I’m looking forward to being able to get out more with him.”
