Les Dennis had a laryngitis 'wake-up call' during unhealthy period

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Les Dennis was living off pizzas and Asian takeaways in 2017.

Ahead of his BBC ballroom debut next month, the 69-year-old has discussed a particularly unhealthy spell with The Sun, which coincided with a part in The Addams Family musical.

"When you are on tour, you are doing two shows a day and I was playing Uncle Fester. I was wearing make-up and you can't go out and you order in Deliveroo and you just eat pizza," he said.

"Wagamama's was a favourite and it meant that not only was I piling on the pounds, I was not getting any fresh air."

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Much to his eventual relief, the former Family Fortunes host developed laryngitis.

"It gave me the biggest wake-up call and made me look at my health," Dennis recalled. "I had to miss the last 10 weeks of the show. I've never done that. I was doing eight shows a week. It was like an alarm bell. I knew that I had to take stock of my health."

This health crisis drove him to stay well for his two kids Eleanor and Thomas, who he welcomed with third wife Claire Nicholson in 2008 and 2011.

"I went to get a check-up with a doctor and they said I was pre-diabetic. Luckily I caught it early enough to say, 'Right, here we go, I have to do something.'

Read more: Les Dennis has 'no regrets' about showbiz career, but admits 'Big Brother' wasn't 'finest moment'

"It has made me take responsibility for my own health," added Dennis.

"Being an older dad I want to be there for my kids. I want to be here when I am 100. They are the most important thing to me. I have to fulfil the responsibility to my kids."

Watch: Les Dennis blunder as star admits he leaked Strictly reveal on Twitter weeks ago