Spencer Matthews reveals ‘shocking’ relationship with alcohol left him feeling ‘ashamed’ and how he’s in the ‘best shape of his life’ after training for 30 marathons in 30 days

Spencer Matthews has revealed his ‘shocking’ relationship with alcohol left him feeling ‘ashamed’ but he’s now in the ‘best shape of his life’ after undergoing ultramarathon training.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 35, quit booze in 2018 after admitting filming the E4 reality series had exacerbated his inability to drink healthily.

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Spencer says he feels guilt-ridden looking back at his previous behaviour with alcohol, which he gave up to protect his seven-year marriage to presenter Vogue Williams.

Podcast host Spencer has not only overhauled his lifestyle from party boy to fitness fanatic but he’s now challenged himself with running 30 marathons in 30 days on sand as he aims to complete a Guinness World Record.

Despite wife Vogue’s reservations, Spencer insists he’s never been more prepared for a task of this magnitude after training in a heat chamber, cutting out ultra-processed foods and taking supplements have transformed his body and physical capabilities.

The former Made In Chelsea star quit booze in 2018 after admitting filming the E4 reality series had exacerbated his inability to drink healthily

In an exclusive interview Spencer says he feels guilt-ridden looking back at his previous behaviour with alcohol, which he gave up to protect his seven-year marriage to Vogue Williams

Spencer said: ‘I have come from having a shocking relationship with alcohol and feeling quite ashamed of myself actually to now being in a position where I’m really happy and comfortable.

‘The things that have made a big difference to my overall health are hardly ever drinking, minimal amounts of alcohol, exercise, good sleep and proper supplements. I feel in the best shape of my life and I’m very happy.

‘I’m at that stage in my life where I really want to push the boundaries and explore what’s physically and mentally possible. I have always been a big Bear Grylls fan and people that push themselves to their limits and now I want to do the same.’ 

Spencer has taken on the challenge of running 30 marathons in 30 days in the Arabian Desert, an undertaking he says helps him to feel ‘closer’ to his brother Michael, who never returned after becoming the youngest British climber to summit Mount Everest. 

But after learning of the potential risks, Spencer wanted to ensure he was ready for the mission ahead, saying his Great Desert Challenge is even harder than running the full length of Africa, which was achieved for the first time by Russ Cook, otherwise known as the Hardest Geezer, earlier this year. 

Spencer said: ‘At the moment I am running a marathon every couple of days in my training block. The week I am heading into now is marathon, half marathon, marathon, half marathon, all alone as well, until we go in two weeks.

‘I’m a very gung-ho kind of person but these things don’t really work like that. This is a very specific kind of challenge. 

‘This is a World Record attempt, this would be a world first. Even Russ Cook, the Hardest Geezer, who ran the whole length of Africa… not taking away from it at all, it is an insane achievement but he ran most of it on road. 

Podcast host Spencer has not only overhauled his lifestyle from party boy to fitness fanatic but he’s now challenged himself with running 30 marathons in 30 days on sand as he aims to complete a Guinness World Record 

Spencer has been teetotal since 2018 and has since launched non-alcoholic spirits brand CleanCo as part of his determination to remain alcohol free

The TV personality says wife Vogue is planning on meeting him at the finish line as he completes the Great Desert Challenge alongside his children Theodore and Gigi while his youngest, Otto, will stay at home in London

‘A desert marathon is very different, it’s much hotter, much slower, much harder. He spent six days on sand. It’s a long, hard thing and pretty unappealing to people I would have thought.’ 

Spencer will be running in soaring temperatures, sometimes exceeding over 45 degrees, and the trek is the equivalent of running the entire length of the UK, only through desert. 

To prepare, he has been running in a heat chamber and during one session, his temperature rose to 42 degrees.

He explained: ‘The heat chamber is at the London South Bank University and and it’s 50 degrees, it has a running machine in it which you have to power yourself, you run on a hamster wheel and for two hours at a time.

‘The aim of the game is to keep your heart rate at a certain level. My body temperature rose the other day to 42, which is a dangerous fever.

‘During the challenge though, I’ll be supported by my team. I’ll have food, water and gels but I am trying to do all of this with just fruit and nuts.’

As well as his physical commitment to the challenge, Spencer has also transformed his diet, which has helped him to increase muscle mass and refuel his body with the necessary protein it needs following hours of cardio.  

He said: ‘It’s a calorie game really. I am pretty healthy with my food. Earlier this year I read Chris van Tulleken’s book Ultra-Processed People and I found it completely fascinating.

Spencer will be running in soaring temperatures, sometimes exceeding over 45 degrees, and the trek is the equivalent of running the entire length of the UK, only through desert

To prepare, he has been running in a heat chamber and during one session, his temperature rose to 42 degrees 

‘Long story short, he basically talks about the importance of eating good quality food if you can, single ingredient food you cook yourself, vegetables, rice, fish, grains, chicken, less heavily marketed and processed food, I have been doing that for a while and feel great.’

Spencer plans to meet Vogue and his children Theodore, five, and Gigi, three, at the finish line while his youngest Otto, two, stays at home in London. 

And if he’s successful in achieving the Guinness World Record, Spencer predicts the moment he sees his family again after weeks in the desert could be when he breaks down in tears.  

He added: ‘Vogue is planning to come at the end with Theodore and Gigi hopefully. Group hug at the end will be awesome, I’ll probably cry for the first time in years.’ 

Spencer is raising money for Global’s Make Some Noise, who work with a number of small charities up and down the country. 

• To donate £30, text SPENCER30 to 70766, 100 percent of donations will go to Global’s Make Some Noise 

• Donating £30 – £1 for every marathon – could mean a vital support session for a pre-school child with a physical disability from a dedicated specialist worker