Happy Mondays star Bez to launch lockdown fitness classes like Joe Wicks

Happy Mondays star Mark ‘Bez’ Berry has admitted he has been “mainly sitting on the sofa” during the pandemic.

But now Bez, who is best known for his maraca shaking and freaky dancing, is launching his own YouTube fitness classes to rival Joe Wicks.

Called Get Buzzin’ With Bez, the online classes will launch on 17th January, and Bez will be shown being trained in the fitness classes rather than acting as the instructor himself.

“I’d like to think I’m somewhere between Joe Wicks and Mr Motivator,” Bez told The Sun, admitting that “since we went into the first lockdown I’ve mainly sat on the sofa.”

The dancer said he normally burns calories by dancing on stage during live shows, but the cancellation of gigs due to COVID-19 restrictions meant he was not able to keep active.

The Happy Mondays, along with The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets and others, spearheaded the  ‘Madchester’ scene of the late 80s and early 90s.

“Since we went into the first lockdown I’ve mainly sat on the sofa,” Bez said.

“I have special pants I wear at Christmas, this year they didn’t fit for the first time.”

The star told The Guardian that people could join him “on this mad journey or just sit on the sofa and have a good laugh at me… At the very least, I know I’ll be making people smile, at best I’ll be helping people get fit and mentally happier alongside me.”

Bez won Celebrity Big Brother in 2005, and in 2015 he stood against Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey in Salford for his own ‘We are the Reality’ party.

In December, James and the Happy Mondays will head out on a new UK tour for 2021 that will include a triumphant homecoming to the AO Arena.

Get Buzzin’ With Bez will launch on YouTube on 17th January, and Bez will encourage us to ‘step on’ every week for three months.