If you’ve been taking part in Joe Wicks’ daily online PE lessons, then you’ve helped raise some much-needed cash for the NHS in the process.
Joe, AKA The Body Coach, has announced that he is donating all of the revenue generated by the classes to help the National Health Service during the coronavirus crisis.
The 33-year-old designed the PE classes with kids in mind, but adults – parents and non-parents alike – have thrown themselves into the sessions, too, bringing his YouTube channel 13 million new views in just five days.
In fact, so many people are taking part in the 9am #PEWithJoe fitness lessons that advertising revenues have been “unlike anything” Joe has seen before.
He’s now told fans that all of the cash raised will be going straight to the NHS.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “Words can’t express how happy and proud I have felt every day this week as the nations P.E. teacher. I’ve been overwhelmed with the response and the support it’s had from everyone.
“As a result of so many people viewing the #PEWithJoe workouts on YouTube the advertising revenue generated has been unlike anything I’ve seen or experienced on my channel before. So I’ve decided that as long as I’m the nation’s P.E. teacher, every single penny of the money generated on these videos is going to the place where we need it the most right now. All of it is going straight to the NHS, to support the real heroes right now.
He concluded: “Thank you for watching, joining in and sharing… I’m loving being your P.E. Teacher and now you can watch again, knowing you’re not only staying fit, you’re also helping raise money for the NHS.”
Earlier this week, Joe told HuffPost UK that he had “no idea [the lessons] would get this big,” adding: “It’s not a pressure, necessarily, but it’s been overwhelming.”
PE With Joe is every weekday morning at 9am on The Body Coach TV YouTube channel.