Hearing a former Premier League defender acknowledge that he’s been letting himself go on a podcast in front of two England legends is surprisingly honest. Not in a disastrous way. Not in the sense of a tabloid meltdown. Most people over 35 will notice a few too many glasses of red, occasional gym absences, and a back that began sending unsolicited warnings. The self-described “Big Meeks” and former Manchester City full-back Micah Richards stated it bluntly on “The Rest is Football”: “I’ve put on too much timber”.
When it came out, he was seated in Gary Lineker’s front room with Lineker on one side, Alan Shearer on the other via video link, and a clearly unopened bottle of wine on the table as an ironic prop. Before the serious part began, Shearer had already begun making fun of Richards, making jokes about feeling “red wine later on, lads”. Evidently amused, Lineker mentioned that he had opened a nice bottle for the event. The banter was warm, comfortable, and typical of those three.
But Richards’ tone changed. “On a serious note, Al, I’ve put on too much timber” . Shearer said right away that he had been thinking the same thing because he is Shearer. After calling him awful and laughing, Richards described what had been going on.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Micah Richard Richards |
| Date of Birth | 24 June 1988 |
| Age | 37 |
| Nationality | English |
| Birthplace | Birmingham, England |
| Former Club | Manchester City, Aston Villa, Fiorentina |
| International Career | England (13 caps) |
| Current Role | Football pundit — BBC, CBS Sports, The Rest is Football podcast |
| Nickname | Big Meeks |
| Back Injury Treatment | Epidural injection (2025) |
| Weight Loss Method | Giving up alcohol, modified training |
In the best way possible, the pattern he described is unremarkable and genuinely relatable almost uncomfortably so. He had been drinking without exercising the following morning. It was merely a habit that veered a little off course, not a sharp decline or a rock bottom. A more serious issue a back injury severe enough to necessitate an epidural injection compounded the issue.
Even taking into consideration his innate flair for emphasis, Richards’ description of his back as “basically finished” sounds like a major disruption for someone who has always been defined, in part, by his physical presence. Richards was one of the most exciting defenders of his generation at Manchester City because of his explosive power and speed. He put a lot of effort into maintaining that identity in retirement.
The bench press promo, the Sky Sports campaign with Optimum Nutrition, and the shirtless road trip episode shot with Jamie Redknapp for “A League of Their Own” all suggested a man who truly appreciated the potential of his body.
As it stands, Micah Richards’ weight-loss regimen doesn’t include any particularly unique components. He gave up drinking. That’s pretty much it. He claims that the impact has been instantaneous. “I’m feeling fantastic. I think I have more energy now. In response, Shearer, as was to be expected, said that the last thing anyone needed was more energy from Richards. It’s difficult not to find it quietly inspirational not because quitting alcohol is revolutionary, but rather because Richards discussed it so candidly and without putting on a show. There is no associated sponsored wellness brand. There is no dramatic framing of the before and after. Just a late-thirties football player attempting to recover from a difficult physical period.
It’s important to consider the larger context. Richards has been training for boxing for a considerable amount of time under Malik Scott, the coach most known for training Deontay Wilder, who is also married to Richards’ colleague Kate Abdo from CBS Sports. In an interview with CanadaCasino, Scott implied that Richards actually possesses the physical capabilities and competitive spirit necessary to participate in crossover boxing competitions such as Misfits. He described Richards as psychologically prepared for competition, strong, and well-coordinated.
It’s an intriguing concept that might have seemed feasible a few months ago. The back injury makes everything much more difficult. An epidural was necessary due to a serious enough issue, which is not exactly indicative of someone who should be taking punches from a YouTuber anytime soon.
The celebrity health revelations that come out with monotonous regularity are not what stand out in all of this. It’s the environment. A room for living. Together, these three friends have earned hundreds of caps for England. An unopened bottle of wine. There was no publicist-approved statement for Richards to peruse. He simply discussed his excessive drinking and lack of exercise, as well as how a back injury necessitated some sort of reckoning.
Once the back settles, he might be able to fully return to the gym. At 37, it’s also possible that training will look completely different going forward. In any case, he claims to feel better now that the alcohol is gone. It only takes sitting in Gary Lineker’s front room to say aloud that sometimes the most obvious change is the easiest.
i) https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/36933156/micah-richards-quit-drinking-back-injury/
ii) https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-15168957/Micah-Richards-reveals-hes-ditched-booze-piling-weight-following-worrying-injury.html
iii) https://tribuna.com/en/blogs/micah-richards-reveals-hes-quitting-drinking-after-gaining-e/
iv) https://www.skysports.com/football/news/4754884/richards-rejects-fat-claims
v) https://www.gbnews.com/sport/football/micah-richards-gives-up-alcohol-alan-shearer-gary-lineker