HAPPY Mondays star Bez is launching his own online fitness classes to rival those of Joe Wicks.

The Bolton-born maraca-shaking dancer, famed for his onstage antics as part of the Madchester-era band, hopes to lose his lockdown weight and help motivate others.

The 56-year-old, whose real name is Mark Berry, will be sharing videos on YouTube under the title Get Buzzin’ With Bez.

But unlike fitness coach Wicks, Bez will be following the orders of a personal trainer as well as visiting a psychologist, learning yoga and trying hypnotherapy.

Andrew Naylor from Preston, who owns and runs Fit Forward, will be aiding Bez on his journey.

Bez said: “I’d like to think I’m somewhere between Joe Wicks and Mr Motivator.

“I’ve started this new year seriously unfit, with a fat belly and creaky hips, and I can’t stop eating chocolate.

“Last lockdown I got unfit, fat, lazy and into some seriously bad eating habits.

“This year, this lockdown, I need to sort it out sharpish.”

A short teaser video shows Bez warming up in a park under the watch of his personal trainer.

Mr Naylor said: "An old friend of mine from school had asked me to get involved in a project about getting Bez fit and I thought to myself, this could be a massive job on my hands but I’m willing to take it.

"Given his past and how he has lived this will be a big positive on his life - I help people so how could I say no?

"He was really easy to work with to be fair, he listened, took instruction well, and we had a good laugh in the process, so I would say he was an ideal client."

Bez won Celebrity Big Brother in 2005 and stood unsuccessfully as a candidate in the 2015 general election.

Happy Mondays, fronted by Shaun Ryder, was one of the leading bands in the Madchester scene of the late 80s and early 90s, along with groups including The Stone Roses and Inspiral Carpets.