To think that Joe Wicks is not a hero?

[Cheeseandlobster]

Dont get me wrong, I like him and do one of his hiit sessions every day. He is a great trainer and motivator and he has raised a lot of awareness of the benefits of exercise. But a hero he is not. What he is, is an astute man who spotted an opportunity to make a lot of money during lockdown.

He raised 500k for the NHS through t shirt sales. But he also made 10 million for himself. I saw numerous comments about him being a national treasure as he got up every morning to do a 30 - 40 minute PE session for the nation. Even with planning weekly costumes, making props and planning the exercises (though often he winged it) this does not necessitate a full days work I am sure. I did the sessions on top of an 8 - 10 hour working day as did many others which is much harder.

It just annoys me when I see him being hailed as a hero when I doubt he would have done it without being able to make a ton of money for himself and to raise his own profile

Hero might be the wrong word, but excellent trainer and astute businessman who spotted a need and an opportunity and did something about it very quickly and successfully, raising lots of money for charity and getting people off the sofa in the process.

I'm not a fan of the "personality" but I think there's lots to admire/respect in what he's achieved.

The only allowed hero's on MN are public sector workers.

The rest of us are blood sucking bastards

He hasn't "made" £10mil in lock down. FFS.

The newspaper article says he "stands to make" £10mil if he signs sponsorship deals with big corporates.

He donated all of the money from his PE workouts and t-shirt sales to the NHS.

The money he HAS made is in new sign ups to his subscription diet plan thing which he's been flogging for years. So the best he got out of lockdown was some advertising....

He probably doesn't qualify as a "hero" althoughI do think he made a big impact on people's lives during lockdown.

And he certainly doesn't qualify for villain status!! If you want one of them, try someone like Mike Ashley who tried to claim his sports shops were essential services so he could keep them open in lock down. That's true profiteering.

@Cheeseandlobster

I liked him a lot more before he got his wife Rosie involved. Rosie was lovely but and did his sessions for him when he had a hand operation but he spent a lot of the time talking over her. I then saw another session he did in the garden on a Saturday morning. His daughter was being a bit vocal so he ordered his wife to take her in the house. You could still hear his daughter a bit from inside the house so he then told her to take the children upstairs. I don't know, it didn't sit right with me. During lockdown in a family home, a bit of noise is expected surely?

What are you implying here? He always spoke to Rosie with respect and it's clearly he absolutely worships the ground she exercises on.

OP, are you a tabloid hack trying to stir up shit about him?

I don’t know why people have to be so mean about other people. He’s raised a lot of money for charity, people like his workouts and he’s not hurting anyone- what’s not to like? Sure he can be a little grumpy from time to time- he has two small kids and is trying to run a business from home! People are only human. I’m not a fan as such or anything but I really think people are very quick to jump on people.

I also think 'icon' is overused. So and so's Iconic album (some poptastic drivel released 6 months ago which will be forgotten in 6 more months) When words are overused in this way they loose their meaning.
Don't really know Joe Wicks so can't give an opinion on that!! 😊

I wouldn't say hero but I think what he did was great, getting more people up and moving during lockdown. If he made money from it so what? He still chose to get up most morning and do the workouts for others to follow along, my son loved when he did question/answers through it

Hero seems to be a word that is over used lately

He is not a ‘hero’ by any stretch of the imagination. The casual throwing about of terms such as ‘hero’ and ‘devastated’ is so irritating, and is a complete devaluation of language. Yes, he put in a good effort, as did the millions of other people who carried on going to work without accolade.

He's an irritating twat.

Can't knock him for his workout sessions and all that, but still can't stand to hear his smug, annoying voice/face.

Agree about being an astute businessman which certainly isn’t a bad thing esp due to his donations. I think that title suits him more than hero.

@Cheeseandlobster

I liked him a lot more before he got his wife Rosie involved. Rosie was lovely but and did his sessions for him when he had a hand operation but he spent a lot of the time talking over her. I then saw another session he did in the garden on a Saturday morning. His daughter was being a bit vocal so he ordered his wife to take her in the house. You could still hear his daughter a bit from inside the house so he then told her to take the children upstairs. I don't know, it didn't sit right with me. During lockdown in a family home, a bit of noise is expected surely?

So a parent working from home asks the other parent if they can take the children to a different part of the house for a bit? Probably a scene that has played out up and down the country a lot in the last 6 months!

*lose
When people make spelling errors, words also lose meaning 🤣🤣

Your complaint is with whoever says he's a hero now with him

He doesn't have any kind of official hero status so I assume they are randomers, I haven't personally heard anyone say this. People say all kinds of stupid stuff, it doesn't mean anything

Even Linda Evangelista would probably have stirred herself for that

haha! this made me chuckle

He didn't start doing the PE sessions as a money maker. As soon as he realised her was accidentally making profit he announced he was giving those profits to charity.

He was doing a good thing that was in his skill set. Lots of people tried to do the same (making scrubs bags, shopping for others etc). Do you begrudge them receiving praise for what they've contributed to society during a very tough time?
I agree that hero is the wrong word. And I'm sure he'd say he doesn't like being referred to as a hero. But stop the sniping, it doesn't show you in a particularly good light.

I don't know how to link from my phone but a general Google will find the info on how much he has made and how.

I haven't put him down, I have said already he is a great trainer and motivator and raised awareness of the benefits of exercise. But he is not a hero. I worked long hours through Lockdown supporting vulnerable and isolated people with chronic and often terminal health conditions on top of doing hiit sessions. I don't call myself a hero and nor do my colleagues.

Who's actually calling him a hero though? No one I know. The OP used the description because she knew it would get people's backs up, because on MN only NHS workers are allowed to be called heroes.

This thread smacks of a tabloid fishing expedition.

He gave us something to focus on in those early uncertain days of the lockdown. We rushed to get up for the work out with Joe and we had fun doing this as a family.
He stepped up in the nations interest... did he put his life on the line.... no. Did he do a good positive thing for the country in uncertain times ... yes.
Let’s not pick him apart now, he’s human and infallible like the rest of us!

@Cheeseandlobster

I don't know how to link from my phone but a general Google will find the info on how much he has made and how.

I haven't put him down, I have said already he is a great trainer and motivator and raised awareness of the benefits of exercise. But he is not a hero. I worked long hours through Lockdown supporting vulnerable and isolated people with chronic and often terminal health conditions on top of doing hiit sessions. I don't call myself a hero and nor do my colleagues.

But you're the only person who used the word hero in connection with him! You're complaining about something only you have said!

And your OP was you putting him down. If you're going to say it, at least own it.

I think he's done a really good job.

His workouts were too easy for me but I really enjoyed the few I did in the dark first few weeks of lockdown.

I can't knock him for putting the workouts out there, he didn't have to do that and was making shit loads of money already. They were not PE lessons though, at first they weren't even aimed at kids really - my kids complained about him talking too much! It was only later on her started doing the dressing up and everything, presumably after getting some robust feedback! And he kept talking over Rosie as well.

Apparently he is not that an astute businessman, his brother is behind a lot of it because Joe isn't the sharpest tool in the box.

Nope not a reporter. But I am allowed an opinion.

I agree Op.

I think what he did was great, really I do.

A hero, no.

I hate the term hero.

But I listened to him on Russell brand podcast and desert island discos and he comes across as truly caring, aware, kind and responsible man who has worked really hard. He hasn’t made 10 million from YouTube but has given all the advertising revenue to NHS charity.

He didn’t have to do the workouts, he was already rich. He stepped up to the mark and did what he could. As did very many people. Why criticise? As the saying goes, if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything.

Okay, I found a link.

metro.co.uk/2020/05/17/joe-wicks-set-make-10million-lockdown-including-10k-per-instagram-post-7500-per-youtube-video-12715364/

It says Joe COULD make £10m IF he accepted big name endorsements, charge for Insta posts etc. It's basically a kite flying story where a reporter has asked a celebrity PR what Joe could make IF he decided to cash in.

Where's your proof that he has, OP? I know he's signed a new book deal, but that's because his old one was up for renewal and when an author's done well, they always earn more next time round.