I'm a Celeb's Reverend Richard Coles reveals he's taking Ozempic: 'I'm too fat'

Reverand Richard Coles has revealed he is now taking blockbuster 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 Communard 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'.

But, the 63-year-old and 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.

'I want to get down to a reasonable weight and then maintain it without the assistance of pharmacy. I want to lose two stone.

'I'd love to tell you that I take to the hills, with a bounce in my stride and I cycle for 150 miles a week, but I don't.'

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 and dizziness.

Bizarre symptoms, such as hair loss, have also been reported among some patients.

Doctors have also long told how they are treating increasing numbers of slim women who end up in hospital after falsely telling online chemists they are overweight to pass eligibility checks.

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 Wegovy.

In the UK, law forbids the sale of such drugs without a prescription from a medical professional.