Latest news with #WillTennyson
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE We're fed up of YouTubers coming to our town and ridiculing us for being 'the world's fattest' place to live... we're not a freak show!
People living in Britain's fattest town say they are fed up being treated like a 'freak show' by YouTubers. Eighty per cent of the residents of Ebbw Vale in South Wales are classed as obese from living on high calorie takeaways, a recent report has found. It's not uncommon for a local to have a Greggs sausage roll for breakfast, a Big Mac for lunch and a kebab or pizza for their evening meal. Since then, popular content creators have descended on the town including Canadian 'gymfluencer' Will Tennyson, who creates YouTube films about fitness, food and lifestyle. Tennyson, who has almost four million subscribers on YouTube, ate like the locals during his visit, even tucking into a 'Big Daddy' full English breakfast containing over 2,000 calories. But some of the overweight population of the former industrial steel town want YouTubers like Tennyson to stay away. One woman in her late twenties, who declined to be named or photographed, said: 'We are not a freak show for people to laugh and joke about. 'People have bad diets here because of poverty, not enough education and no work. 'It's easy to say people in Ebbw Vale are making bad choices but for some they have no choices.' The town has 15 kebab shops, along with Indian and Chinese takeaways, pizza parlours and fried chicken restaurants. The queues at the town's McDonalds are some of the longest in the country and staff there told Tennyson they sometimes see the same customers four times a day. Factory production supervisor Jay Brown told MailOnline: 'It shows the town in a bad light and highlights a flaw in Ebbw Vale which is a nice town. 'There's a reason why it's Britain's heaviest town, it's down to a lack of education and understanding. 'Some people might think it's laziness but there are other factors at play, a lot of people here struggle with health issues.' Retired pub landlady Lynne Tuttle, 72, said: 'It's not doing the reputation of the town any good. Yes, there are a lot of takeaways there but people still have a choice.' Jack Bailey, 21, who grew up in the town, said: 'It's a bit extreme, this YouTuber comes over at 10 stone and goes back making out he's weighing 20 stone. That's not good for Ebbw Vale or for him. 'I appreciate he's Canadian but there's a lot more obesity closer to home for him. America has many more fat people than Ebbw Vale. 'The problem we have here is that people can't afford to eat healthy meals. It's cheaper to have takeaways. 'One of the pizza shops offers six pizzas for half price one day a week, you can feed your whole family on that.' The town's only green grocer French 'n Fruity was empty of customers during our visit while Greggs bakery opposite was doing a roaring trade. Along the high street at discount supermarket Heron Foods, duty manager Sarah Leverage revealed the shop's biggest seller is ready meals. Sarah, 21, who took part in Tennyson's 40-minute video, said: 'There have been three different content providers here because it's the fattest town in the country. 'It doesn't help the reputation of the town but it may shine a light on the problems we have here. 'It's a bandwagon, they come here and ask us the same questions. 'But Will Tennyson did feel sorry for us, he could see there's nothing for people to do here, people are depressed and fed-up. Drama student, Sadie Evans, 20, who was born in the town, said: 'It's not nice to see our town portrayed in this way.' Jack Bailey said the YouTube video was 'extreme' while Sarah Liversage said the town's reputation has been tarnished 'There are far too many takeaways here and it becomes quick and easy for people. A burger on a Friday night was a treat but for some it's every day of the week.' Currency trader Jordan Jukes who is Ebbw Vale born and bred, also took part in Tennyson's video, titled How Much Weight Can I Gain in the World's Most Obese Town? Jordan, 30, said: 'It's bad but he didn't trash the town completely - he said it was lovely but set up to fail and he's right. 'We have one greengrocer and dozens of kebab shops. 'People in Ebbw Vale are not alone in going for convenience. What are you going to do, cook a meal with fresh vegetables or ring up a takeaway and have one delivered? 'I think his video has brought a little bit of truth but there are plenty of town's in the UK like Ebbw Vale.' Drama student, Sadie Evans, 20, who was born in the town, said: 'It's not nice to see our town portrayed in this way. 'But these YouTube videos are right about all the takeaways, the town is full of them. 'I didn't realise it was that much of a problem, it was a bit of a shock to see Ebbw Vale like this.' One grandmother, who didn't want to be named or photographed, said: 'The younger generation have stopped cooking for their children, they rely on takeaways and we've got plenty of choice. 'My niece has two kids and they've never tasted home cooked food, not even beans on toast. 'They have something from Gregs for breakfast, a snack at lunchtime and a takeaway at night. 'My niece says she's too busy to cook but it's become a way of life here.' Shop assistant Garen Callaghan, 45, said: 'We deliver to older customers who still want fresh food to cook for themselves. 'But we don't see the younger generation in here, they live off takeaways. That's all we have in the town these days is takeaways and gents hairdressers. 'Younger families say they can't afford to buy fruit and vegetables but takeaways aren't cheap.' Mobile phone shop manager James Howard, 39, who took part in the Will Tennyson podcast described Ebbw Vale as 'Kebab City'. He said: 'They're spread out across the town but there are 15 of them, there are three on this bit of road alone. 'Then there's all the Indians, Chinese, pizza houses and fried chicken places and McDonalds. 'People don't cook at home because they can't be bothered. Cooking at home isn't being passed down the generations like it used to be. 'It's also to do with the poverty here, the fact that we have been abandoned by successive governments. There is no financial input, there's nothing here and people have given up hope.' Women in the area have found a solution to their obesity problems, dozens have flown out to Turkey to have £3,500 gastric by-pass operations. But Ebbw Vale born Scott Marshman, 31, has done it the hard way - he's lost 10 stone through cutting out the kebabs and eating healthily for the first time in his life. He said: 'I was the same as everyone else, I lived on kebabs and greasy takeaways. I'd have a kebab for lunch and a Chinese takeout for tea. 'But I changed my ways. I eat clean. I buy produce from the greengrocer and cook for myself. 'The effect on me has been amazing, you've just got to change your mindset. I'd love it if people followed my example. 'Like a lot of people around here I'm unemployed but I'm enrolling on a nursing course. There are opportunities if people want them.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Canadian visits Greggs in 'UK's fattest town' and is floored by one shelf
Canadian health influencer Will Tennyson spent 24 hours in a town brutally dubbed the "UK's fattest" due to its astonishing number of fast food shops A Canadian health influencer was left stunned when he visited a Greggs for the first time, in a town dubbed the "fattest" in the UK. Ebbw Vale in Wales, garnered the unflattering title back in 2023 after it was found 73% of restaurants were fast food outlets – with many delivering to the same addresses three times a day. Will Tennyson spent 24 hours in the area to find what it was really like. But before speaking to residents about crippling economic struggles, he started like many hungry Brits do, with a trip to the local Greggs. And what he uncovered in the beloved bakery chain stunned him. The YouTube star, who has almost four million subscribers, asked the chatty woman behind the till what Greggs was most known for. Unsurprisingly the response was the iconic sausage roll. Minutes later, after getting his coffee, sausage roll, salted caramel donut and lemon meringue muffin, Will sat at a nearby table. The Toronto-born lad said: 'They are the king of sausage rolls. That entire display is almost completely empty which is insane, it is only 9.30 in the morning. And it is only £1.30… insane.' But after taking his first bite, he soon realised why the delicious pastries were flying off the shelf. 'That is an exquisite sausage roll,' he told the camera. 'I'm going to be smiling a lot today. This would be the breakfast of my dreams when I was eight-years-old. 'Now I strive to have a breakfast where I can see the nutritional value but this is awesome. Like you really can't go wrong with this, just pastry, meat, you can just see a shining of grease and butter and fat.' However, he did warn that the delicious sausage roll have 24 grams of fats and just nine grams of protein. He continued: "Wow, that is good texture on this thing. A lot of people get this for breakfast here, it is a lot of calories, no protein, it is all fat, all carbs, so it is going to be a lot of calories but it is not going to keep you that full.' He added: 'Everything at Greggs is so reasonably priced it is easy to end up leaving with so many things you didn't expect to get, like this pack of four sausage rolls which I'm heavily considering.' Later in his video, he said the cost-of-living crisis and a lack of employment opportunities was impacting the health choices of locals. To make the point, he explained how a packet containing six eggs in the only green grocer in town cost £3.50 – compared to a breakfast roll and coffee in Greggs costing just £2.95. Will said it was 'hard to argue with the convenience' and that he may have struggled to have lost the weight he did in his younger years had he been based in Ebbw Vale. He said the vast number of incredibly cheap fast food options available was 'super scary' to think about and he claimed locals, who spoke to him about their struggles, were 'literally set up for failure' because of the lack of affordable healthy meals. The content creator added: '24 hours in the UK's most obese town was eye-opening. People here are kind of trapped. 'They have limited choices to be healthy and breaking the norm is extremely difficult and when financial troubles are in the mix, it isn't about health, it is purely about survival and putting food on the table.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'We are a chubby community', locals respond after famous ‘gymfluencer' slams town
A valleys town has responded after, yet another famous internet content creator decided to visit the UK's 'fattest' town. Ebbw Vale earned the unofficial title of UK's 'fattest' town back in 2023 after a report published by 'Now Patient' revealed Blaenau Gwent has highest rate of obesity in Wales. The report highlighted nearly 80 per cent of adults were deemed either overweight or obese (with a BMI score of 25 or higher). Since then, the town has played host to a range of popular internet content creators fascinated by these stats. Youtuber Will Tennyson at Ebbw Vale train station (Image: You Tube) Most recently was Will Tennyson,= a 30-year-old 'gymfluencer' hailing from Canada. Having travelled over 3,000 miles from greater Toronto. Tennyson has 3.39 million subscribers. Whilst in Ebbw Vale Tennyson didn't leave the town centre frequenting takeaways and neglecting chain supermarkets located only a few miles down the road. Youtuber Will Tennyson in Ebbw Vale Greggs (Image: You Tube) To begin the video, he claims: 'I'm in Ebbw Vale where fast food isn't just a treat it's a way of life. 'For the next 24 hours I'm going to eat like a local eating my way through this town to understand the real struggles behind these stats.' Other statements included: 'I feel really bad for people who are here because it's all they know…they only know what they know' So, what do locals think about being called the UK's 'fattest' town? Sarah Clay of Caffe Della Citta reacting to label of UK's 'fattest' town. (Image: NQ) 41-year-old Sarah Clay runs Caffe Della Citta. She raised the issue of food poverty. Sarah said: 'I'm overweight myself and I know my BMI is obese. I think most people around here could do with eating a little bit healthier. 'But we are stuck in a crisis, aren't we? If a punnet of strawberries is £3.50 and a family sized bag of crisps is £2.00, what do you do? 'Nobody ever wants to hear the truth we probably are quite a chubby community, but he was quite rude about it.' Ebbw Vale town centre (Ebbw Vale reacts after famous 'gymfluecner' slams town in new mockumentary) (Image: NQ) Councillor Helen Cunningham Cabinet Member for Adult and Communities said: 'It is always disappointing when people seek to capitalise on and peddle derogatory stereotypes of our communities. 'We are talking about places that have endured high rates of poverty that harms people in multiple ways throughout life. 'As a council we are committed to working for an equitable settlement and addressing the invidious structural inequalities at the root of these challenges.' Keyon Davies in Ebbw Vale town reacting to label of UK's 'fattest' town. (Image: NQ) 30-year-old Keyon Davies said: 'I think it's pretty spot on to be honest. I've lived here most of my life and my grandparents are quite obese as well. 'I do find that it's the older generations that are stuck in their ways.' I wouldn't say it's the fattest town, but we do struggle with healthy living.' Jodie of Fresh and Fruity Ebbw Vale (Image: NQ) 39-year-old Jodie works in Fresh and Fruity. She was interviewed by Tennyson. She said: 'I thought he was quite genuine, but he never said anything about obesity. 'It would have been nice to know that was his intentions. It's the same as everywhere there's some people that look after themselves and there's some that don't.' Wayne Grist of Grist's Butchers Ebbw Vale reacting to label of UK's 'fattest' town. (Image: NQ) 60-year-old Wayne Grist runs Grist's butchers. Commenting on the label of 'fattest' town he said: 'I don't think it's what they eat I think it's the amount they eat if you are living in Greggs and are eating quite a lot, you're going to put that weight on.' Beryl and Malcolm Cross reacting to label of UK's 'fattest' town. (Image: NQ) Beryl and Malcolm Cross (75 and 77) are retirees. They thought it was a generational issue. Malcom said: 'That's all there is here fast-food places we look around at some people that live here, and we are lucky that we are like we are because we take care of ourselves. 'They're not exercising and once you get a certain size you can't exercise.' Beryl added: 'It's a different generation, not enough home cooking.' The controversial video can be viewed here.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I visited the world's fattest town... where residents eat McDonald's four times a day and 80% of people are obese
Will Tennyson traveled thousands of miles to visit a town known as the 'fattest in the world' and challenged himself to eat like the residents. Eighty percent of people in the UK town of Ebbw Vale in southeast Wales are considered overweight or obese and the California content creator spent a day indulging in their favorite meals. Upon on arrival, Tennyson, 30, immediately noticed the smell of different foods wafting in the streets and counted at least 15 kebab houses as he walked. He said 73 percent of restaurants in Ebbw Vale are considered fast food restaurants, 'which is ridiculous. That is the most in the UK.' In the UK, approximately 26.5 percent of adults are classified as obese. Meanwhile, in the US, the obesity rate is higher, with around 42 percent of adults considered obese. During his 24-hour stint in Ebbw Vale, Tennyson indulged in a number of high-calorie treats including a donut, sausage roll, pizzas and a fried breakfast. While these were novelties for him, he learned these fatty foods are common staples in the Welsh town of close to 20,000 residents. The first stop on his tour was the popular British bakery chain Greggs. One of the first things he notices is the lack of fresh, healthy food options, and the only salads he can find are pasta salads. He does, however, find some chopped fruit. At the counter, he orders a sausage roll - one of the most popular Greggs items - and a worker also suggests he get a caramel custard donut and lemon meringue muffin. The three items, he estimates, come in at more than 1,000 calories. Next up, he ventured to another popular food spot in Ebbw Vale called Frenchie's. After reading rave reviews online about the Acafe's 'Big Daddy' breakfast, Tennyson puts in an order for one and he is astounded by the size of the morning platter. His plate contains four sausages, three hash browns, four pieces of bacon, several fried eggs, baked beans and two helpings of black pudding. It also comes with a 'tray of toast' topped with a 'diabolical amount of butter,' Tennyson showed off in a YouTube video. He said: 'Look at that! That is crazy... we're like well over 2,000 calories for sure. 'Absolutely it doesn't even look like I got this at a restaurant, looks like I served myself at a buffet. Like this isn't an English breakfast, this is a full empire. I'm going to get high school acne for a week after this man.' Between his bakery stop and behemoth breakfast, Tennyson has already consumed more than 3,000 calories. The average recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men, but individual needs vary based on factors like age, activity level, and body size. Defeated by his two heavy breakfasts, Tennyson goes for a walk around town to work them off and talk to some locals about their views on diet and fitness. Many people reveal that there are high unemployment rates in the area and money is a struggle, therefore fast food is a cheap and easy convenience. Along with kebab stores, McDonald's appears to be a very popular spot. One man Tennyson speaks to says he ate McDonald's up to five times a week when he weighed 266lbs but he has since tried to cut back. In the local McDonald's, Tennyson finds long lines at the drive-thru during a lunchtime rush and it is packed with customers inside. One of the workers says that she has many repeat customers during the day, and some people come in up to four times to have meals from dawn to dusk. Reflecting on why Ebbw Vale has been plagued by obesity, one local woman says: 'Obesity is normalized, everybody's obese. 'It's a lack of education and social normality in the environment that you're living in.' Meanwhile, the receptionist at the hotel Tennyson checks into, muses: 'There isn't a great deal around here other than kebab shops and vape shops.' After popping into McDonald's, where he resists the urge for a familiar taste from home, Tennyson ventures to Southern Fried Chicken for lunch which has a bountiful selection of foods on the menu. Tennyson says: 'They're known for pizza, burgers, kebabs and fried chicken. That's an elite lineup back where I'm from. 'If a place served up all those things I would see that as a warning and I'd probably never go but here I think that just means there's a master at work in there.' Tennyson gets a buy one get one free pizza deal and he opts for one with chicken and another with a cheesy beef topping. He is impressed by the amount of meat that the pizzas are dressed with, and the store owner also throws in some fries and soda. The fitness enthusiast doesn't give a calorie estimate for the meal but a whole pizza typically contains up to 3,000 calories, while a serving of fries typically contains an average of 300 calories. Throwing in two cans of Pepsi (150 calories per can), brings the lunch to more than 6,000 calories. Concerned about his high calorie intake, Tennyson finds a gym in town but he is too full to get any serious exercise in. He is surprised to see a few people in the gym but he notes that it is still fairly quiet considering it is a 'peak time'. 'Everything's sloshing around,' the fitness influencer says, as he goes for a run on the treadmill. After a gym session, he looks for somewhere for dinner to round out his day and he settles on an Indian restaurant. He estimates his meal of chicken and rice contains around 1,500 calories. This brings his daily total to more than 10,000 calories. But back in his hotel room, Tennyson can't resist ordering dessert. A sweet medley eventually arrives and he shows off his picks; a melted ice cream, a 'brownie explosion tray', and a 'Biscoff heaven'. In total, it's estimated that Tennyson consumed more than 11,000 calories after a day of dining in Ebbw Vale with baked goods and a fry up for breakfast, pizza for lunch, Indian for dinner and a medley of desserts in bed. The foods also served up more than 300g of fat. For a balanced diet, most adults should aim to get 20-35 percent of their daily calories from fat, with a focus on unsaturated fats. For a 2,000 calorie diet, this translates to roughly 44 to 78g of total fat. A high calorie, high fat diet generally leads to people becoming obese, especially when no exercise is factored in. Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing various serious health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. It can also lead to sleep apnea, liver disease, kidney disease, and pregnancy complications. Research showed that adults living in the most deprived areas in Wales are about 50 percent more likely to have obesity than those in the least parts. Blaenau Gwent, which is the county Ebbw Vale sits in, has higher than average rates of both heart disease and cancer, particularly when looking at premature deaths. Touching on his experience of the town, he concludes: 'You know, [spending] around 24 hours in the UK's most obese town was eye opening. 'People here are kind of trapped they have limited choices to healthy food. 'Breaking the norm is extremely difficult and when financial troubles are in the mix, it isn't about health it's purely about survival and putting food on the table.'
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Canadian visits 'UK's fattest town' in Wales and is stunned when he enters McDonald's
Canadian visits 'UK's fattest town' in Wales and is stunned when he enters McDonald's A Welsh town has unfortunately become known as the 'UK's fattest town' with fatty food one cause of the obesity crisis, but one Canadian was impressed by the kindness of locals on his visit Will Tennyson is from Toronto and he recently visited Ebbw Vale A popular Canadian fitness influencer travelled to a town in Wales that was called 'UK's fattest town' and delivered a surprise verdict. Ebbw Vale in south Wales earned the unwanted title because of the number of people who have health problems like obesity and the town's high number of takeaways where 73% of restaurants are fast food outlets. YouTuber Will Tennyson, who is from Toronto, travelled all the way to the former steel town in the south Wales Valleys to investigate why people were struggling with their health. And what he found behind the ominous statistics disturbed him. Checking into his hotel, he said the receptionist remarked: 'We are known as the fattest town in Britain. There's not an awful lot to be honest with you. There isn't a great deal around here other than kebab shops and vape shops.' And after reaching his room, he was greeted by fast food menus, and he said the number of options was 'absolutely insane'. However, after a night's rest, he explored the town, and said the smell of food struck him right away. He added: 'They were not kidding about the kebab houses, they are actually everywhere. We probably passed 15 on the way here.' He had breakfast in Frenchie's cafe and ordered the 'Big Daddy' that consisted of four sausages, two black puddings, beans, bacon, three hashbrowns, four eggs, tomatoes and six slices of bread. He spent 24 hours in the town in South Wales Article continues below Will said that people in Ebbw Vale were incredibly warm and speaking to a cafe worker about whether it was hard to be healthy here, she replied: 'The wages are not very good. The prices of everything have gone up.' He added: 'Everybody here is so nice, like this entire town. It is probably because they are well fed. Like you don't want to deal with angry people, right?" Adding that "everyone is happy" he then delivered his four-word verdict that it is a "great place to be". But while chatting to other residents that day, the pressure from the economy became a theme, with one woman, who lost over nine stone in the last 12 months, telling him: "Obesity is normalised and everybody here is obese. It is a lack of education and social normality and the environment you are living in.' Another young man said he had not been to the gym in two years because he keeps getting rejected for jobs because of his lack of experience. He said money was therefore tight and cheap meals were the most alluring option he had. He spent the day filling up on cheap fatty foods Summarising his findings, Will told the camera: 'A lot of people here don't have jobs. They are living off the state. The cheap food is absolutely crucial for them to survive. They can't afford the healthier foods which is why there is only one green grocer in the entire town.' With that in mind, Will visited the Fresh N Fruity green grocer, and noted that it was extremely quiet. He picked up a packet containing six duck eggs priced at £3.50, saying the nearby Greggs was selling a breakfast roll and hot drink for just £2.95. Reflecting, he said it was 'hard to argue with the convenience' and said a butternut squash was more expensive than an entire pizza that was displayed on a poster for £1.50 on a window of a shop nearby. In that shop, Heron Foods, a store worker told Will the fruit and veg aisle was the least popular and that it was 'really expensive' to eat healthy. This has led to unwelcome headlines in recent years including some addresses getting takeaways delivered three times a day and people's driveways being blocked by people queuing for the McDonald's. He praised locals for their kindness during his trip And the latter inspired Will to visit the local Maccies where customers can wait up to 30 minutes to get served. After entering, he said: 'The place is absolutely packed. I was walking the town and I was like, 'Where is everybody?' They are all here. This must be the unofficial town hall. Just a constant stream of cars and inside it is ridiculous.' Later in the day Will entered a pizza shop where on Thursdays it is buy one get one free. While tucking into his fast food, he noted a shop across the road selling seriously cheap booze. He observed: 'You are literally set up for failure everywhere you go here. Think about a recovering alcoholic working at a brewery. That is what it would be like. If you are trying to lose weight and you are surrounded… I can't imagine how hard it would be.' Will, who lost a lot of weight in his younger years, said he was not sure whether it would have been possible living in Ebbw Vale. He added: 'It is really scary to think about and I feel really bad for people that are here. It is all they know and you only know what you know and they are brought up on the same habits as their parents and it is a generational trickle down effect.' Despite acknowledging that people were unable to afford a gym because of low income, he did say that he did not once see anyone cycling or running on the street during his visit. However, his overall feeling was one of sympathy, and concluding his vlog, he said: '24 hours in the UK's most obese town was eye-opening. People here are kind of trapped. 'They have limited choices to be healthy and breaking the norm is extremely difficult and when financial troubles are in the mix, it isn't about health, it is purely about survival and putting food on the table.' Article continues below To watch Will's visit to Ebbw Vale in full, you can do so here
