Rafe Spall has revealed that his weight loss has made girls ‘interested in him in a way they weren’t before’ as he prepares to become a father again.
The 41-year-old actor announced last month that he is expecting his first child with his Trying co-star Esther Smith, after splitting from his wife Elize du Toit, with whom he has three children, in 2021.
Now Rafe has admitted that after growing up as a ‘chubby kid’ his weight ballooned to 20 stone and he ‘never really got to grips with his relationship with food.’
The actor added that he got more acting roles after he lost weight and that it became “easier” to get the attention of women.
Speaking on Kathy Burke’s podcast Where There’s A Will There’s A Wake, he said: ‘I’ve never really got my relationship with food under control. And with food. I was a chubby kid when I was 19, I weighed about 20 stone. I’ve lost weight and it’s just something I’ve never figured out.
Rafe Spall (left last month) has revealed that his weight loss (in 2005 before he slimmed down) made girls ‘interested in him in a way they never were before’
The actor revealed last month that he is expecting his first child with his Trying co-star Esther Smith, after splitting from his wife Elize du Toit, with whom he has three children, in 2021.
‘I have never achieved balance in my diet and my relationship with food. I don’t know how I can ever achieve that.’
“I love food so much that I go through periods where I’m completely restrictive. I had to make a movie where I took my top off, so I basically starved myself for six months and worked out every day.
“And then I finish that and say, ‘F*ck it, I’m just going to eat whatever I want.’ So I go up and down, up and down. I… food is such an amazing part of my life and I love it. I have so much guilt attached to it.
“And constantly worrying about it. I wish I had addressed that. Something happens when you lose a lot of weight. People say to you, ‘You look great.’ It’s like, ‘What did I look like before?'”
‘I also lost a lot of weight, my career changed, I started getting leading roles. And girls were all interested in a way they had been before.
‘I used to have to work very hard to get girls interested in me, but after that it became much easier.
‘I was on a rowboat once when I was eleven years old, by myself, and I saw very attractive girls about my age.
“They rowed towards me and I thought, ‘What’s going to happen here?’ They got close, one of them looked at me and said, ‘Fat,’ and rowed away. It was horrible. If I could do it again, I would be okay with it.”
Now Rafe has admitted that after growing up as a ‘chubby kid’ his weight ballooned to 20 stone and that he ‘never really got to grips with his relationship with food’
Rafe and Esther were guests on Lorraine on Tuesday to promote the fourth season of the Apple TV+ comedy. Esther said: ‘I have a small belly.’
Rafe also revealed that his father Timothy, who also showed off his impressive weight loss, slimmed down by giving up alcohol.
He said: ‘He still enjoys his meat. He’s not a huge meat eater, he’s gotten very thin. That’s because he’s given up drinking
“He looks great. He’s my father, but I forget how brilliant he is. He’s as good as you can be.”
Last month, Rafe revealed that he and his co-star Ester are expecting their first child together, announcing the happy news during an appearance on Lorraine.
The couple went public with their romance in November 2022, after it was revealed that Rafe and former Hollyoaks star Elize du Toit – who have three children together – had split after 12 years.
In Trying, Rafe and Esther portray married couple Jason Ross and Nikki Newman who want to become parents but struggle to conceive a child.
When the presenter asked if the pregnancy could be woven into a possible series five plot, Esther said: “We hope there will be another series.”
Rafe, the son of Harry Potter star Timothy Spall, added: “We don’t know yet.”
The couple admitted they can’t wait to welcome their child into the world, and then hope to start working on a fifth season.
Esther said, “We’re going to have a baby, and then maybe we’ll continue with that [‘Trying’].’
Rafe added: “We are very excited.”
Rafe previously admitted that he loved filming the series because it gave him the chance to spend time with Esther.
Rafe and Esther’s relationship was confirmed in November 2022 when they were seen holding hands as they strolled through the streets of Notting Hill.
The actor married former Hollyoaks cast member Elize du Toit in 2010, but the couple split in 2021 after growing apart (Elize and Rafe pictured in 2017)
Rafe (right) is the son of movie star Timothy Spall (left) (Timothy and Rafe pictured in December 2014)
In July 2022, he said, “I get to hang out with Esther all day long. We really get along. She’s my favorite person I’ve ever acted with.”
He also said, “People often talk about the chemistry we have. I’m very happy that people enjoy it, but they won’t enjoy it as much as we do.”
Rafe married Elize before moving to The Cotswolds with her in 2019. They have children together: Lena, 11, Rex, 10, and another son, six.
Rafe previously said he regretted not spending more time with his children, telling i newspaper: ‘Unfortunately, I don’t have any other skills that I can trade for money.
“This is all I have so I have to act to keep them in hummus.”