Bake Off winner and Strictly star John Whaite reveals steroid addiction

TV chef John Whaite has revealed his five-year addiction to steroids "made me want to end my life".

The 36-year-old is best known for winning The Great British Bake Off in 2012, and came second as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.

In an emotional video posted on Instagram, the 36-year-old revealed he had been "taking anabolic steroids illegally for five years, and these things have really, really messed with my life".

He said he was speaking out now in the hope that "young lads will think very carefully about how they treat their bodies".

Whaite is also known for fronting cooking segments on daytime shows such as ITV's Lorraine and Steph's Packed Lunch.

He told his followers he began taking steroids during lockdown "because I looked in the mirror and hated what I saw".

Whaite explained he has bulimia, an eating disorder, and body dysmorphia, where a person perceives defects in their own body which are often less noticeable to others.

He said: "The more people acknowledged how I looked on steroids, the more I felt good about myself, I felt valid."

He said one side effect was that his testicles had shrunk: "I've got tiny balls now, there's your headline," he said.

Whaite also said steroids had led to him having acne and an unregulated sex drive.

The chef and TV presenter said he decided to speak out after he heard a younger male member of his family discussing a "dangerously strong steroid".

"I am genuinely worried for the young lads growing up and seeing these unrealistic physiques on Instagram," Whaite said in the tearful video.

"You've only got one body, so please just respect it, please just let it do what it can do, don't try and push it, stretch, eat well, try and get to the place where you look in the mirror and you see yourself with kind eyes."

Taking steroids, he added, had been a "stupid decision of my own", adding that he was "tired of being tethered to this solution".

In a caption accompanying the video, Whaite concluded: "Steroids have made me want to end my life.

"That stops now. I choose life. I choose health. I choose love. I choose a simpler life."

The BBC has contacted Whaite for comment.

What are steroids and are they illegal?

Anabolic steroids - a man-made substance that copies the male hormone testosterone - are class C drugs that are legal for personal use.

Pharmacists can issue them, but only with a prescription.

But it is illegal to supply or sell them, including giving them to friends. This carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Seizures of anabolic steroids increased by 26% in the UK last year to 995,830 doses, most were found at the UK border.

There is no official medical research or guidance on how to reduce risks of taking them.

The steroids stop many of the body's normal function including sperm production. Side effects such as testicle shrinkage can be reversible when men stop taking the drug, but it may take years and often is not complete.

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this story, you can find support via BBC Action Line.