Nearly a decade after leaving Made In Chelsea, Spencer Matthews is unrecognisable from his posh playboy days. Previously known for his bad-boy antics, he’s now a happily married man and father of three – to Theodore, five, Gigi, four, and Otto, two – who he shares with wife Vogue Williams. He’s also undergone a major lifestyle transformation, addressing his issues with alcohol and getting ripped.
Having completed the Marathon Des Sables – the toughest footrace on the planet – in 2021, the 35 year old is currently undertaking his biggest challenge yet: running 30 marathons in 30 days across the Jordanian Desert (that’s a total distance of 786 miles, similar to the entire length of the UK) as part of an official Guinness World Record attempt for the most consecutive marathons run on sand.
He chats to heat about this latest endeavour…
You do know how crazy this challenge that you’re undertaking is, right?
When I initially suggested the idea to Vogue, she thought I was joking. But I’m just keen to see how far my mind and body can go. There’s two sides to it: the charitable side raising money for Global’s Make Some Noise, and then the personal side.
You’ve been through a big lifestyle overhaul in recent years. What was your motivation for that?
Vogue. When we first started dating, I was a bad alcoholic. I would drink really early in the day, most days, and often to excess. It started to get to the stage where I felt quite a lot of shame towards my behaviour. I knew it was wrong, but I was struggling to stop it – that’s the first time I began to notice that it was actually a problem and not something I had control over. Around that time, I met Vogue and we started our relationship, and when she got pregnant, it was a bit of a wake-up call for me. I didn’t want to be that kind of father, I wanted to be present for my kids. So, I went sober. I completely knocked it on the head one day and I did just under four years of total abstinence. Now, I drink if I feel like drinking, but it’s not problematic and scary any more.
In what other ways did becoming a dad change you?
You’re no longer the lead guy in the film. I spent most of my life as my own leading man, but you have to put your kids first, because they can’t live without you. Having three is no joke – but it’s wonderful.
How are you feeling about being away from the family for so long?
I think Vogue, Theodore and Gigi will come and meet me at the end – if I get that far! I’ll miss them terribly. I’m useless with stuff like that. I call Vogue 15 times a day, when we’re not together. I’m not good at being without my family. This will be the second longest time I’ve ever spent away from them, the first being when I was filming Finding Michael [the documentary about his late brother] on Everest. It’ll be tough, particularly if you’re sleep-deprived and exhausted, as your emotions get the better of you far more easily. This will be a physical journey, but also quite an emotional one. In fact, this challenge is the definition of the word journey for me.
How do you prepare for a challenge like this?
I ran over 2,000km in preparation, burning over 8,000 calories most days. I was training like a professional athlete, but then I’ve also got lots of other commitments, so I don’t get to recover in the way that I would like to. That’s where Heights came in. Supplementation was something I never really believed in, but the training was beginning to become tough on my body. I would wake up exhausted and I’d be flat-lining in the middle of the day. Since I started taking Heights, I sleep better, I’m far more switched on, my energy levels are higher, and my recovery is much better. It’s surprising, the difference.
Spencer is undertaking the Great Desert Challenge in aid of Global’s Make Some Noise. To donate £30, text SPENCER30 to 70766. This challenge is being done in partnership with British brain and gut health company Heights, visit YourHeights