Naked chef puts health on the menu

Apr 29 2005 By The Journal

Move over Jean-Christophe Novelli - Gary Rhodes reckons he's the dishiest chef in Hell's Kitchen and he has posed naked to prove it.

The 45-year-old showed off a six-pack that will turn his French rival green with envy.

With nothing but a strategically placed blanket to protect his modesty, Rhodes posed in the nude for Good Housekeeping magazine.

And he revealed the punishing workout schedule which keeps him in trim.

"As I've got older my body has become more important to me," he said.

"I exercise six days a week in my gym at home.

"I'll do half an hour of exercise each morning before I leave for work - it sets me up for the day - and two hours at the weekend.

"But I'm still not satisfied with the way my body looks.

"I'm always worrying that I haven't got a six pack - it's the perfectionist in me."

Rhodes also admitted he carefully watches what he eats - skipping dessert and banning biscuits from the house.

The star of the ITV reality show was one of six celebrities who posed for the magazine to promote Male Health Awareness month.

Explaining why he agreed to take part, he said: "When I was 19, I almost died from a blood clot on my brain after I ran into the road on a boys' night out and was hit by a Transit van.

"Having come so close to death means I never take my health for granted."

Fellow chef Phil Vickery, husband of This Morning presenter Fern Britton, also stripped off.

Britton once posed nude herself and Vickery said: "I know I'm no Adonis.

"But that doesn't bother me. If my wife can take her clothes off at 44 then so can I."

The other celebrities taking part were poet and patron of the Prostate Cancer Charity Benjamin Zephaniah, former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, tennis player turned GMTV presenter Andrew Castle and former footballer Jason Cundy.

Cundy, who now trains the Chelsea youth team, was diagnosed with testicular cancer aged 27 while captain of Ipswich Town, and is now a supporter of the Orchid Cancer Appeal.

The full article can be seen in the new issue of Good Housekeeping, on sale from May 9.