The 58-year-old TV star’s secret to staying active — and it’s not the gym

The morning light on the canal made everything look a bit kinder, and there he was—58, famous face tucked behind sunglasses—walking fast enough to miss the ducks. No entourage, just a tote bag and a phone pressed to his ear. He wasn’t counting reps. He was counting moments. A quick stop to pick up a coffee. A detour up the steep steps instead of the ramp. A laugh, a wave, and then off again.

We fell into step for a minute. He joked he’d be useless in a spin class. “I don’t do gyms,” he said, shrugging, as if confessing a small secret. Then he checked his watch, cut through the park, and vanished into the weekday blur.

The secret to staying active at 58, it turns out, was hiding in plain sight.

The everyday engine that outworks the gym

He doesn’t chase workouts. He chases movement. That simple distinction rewires the whole day. Instead of a heroic hour in Lycra, he layers tiny bits of motion—walking meetings, stairs, chores, a dash for the bus—until the day itself becomes a kind of low-key training plan.

It looks unglamorous. It also works. Every lift skipped for a staircase, every kettle-boil stretch, every “I’ll walk and call you” adds up to thousands of extra steps and a body that never quite falls asleep.

Here’s what a day looks like when you use life as the gym. He gets off the Tube two stops early and finishes on foot. He carries a backpack instead of a wheelie case. He keeps his lunch a ten-minute walk away, so there’s a reason to get outside. On set, he stands for segments and sits for notes. In the evening he cooks, tidies, waters the plants. Nothing “counts” as exercise, yet everything counts.

Research calls this NEAT—non-exercise activity thermogenesis. It’s the energy you burn doing everything that isn’t formal exercise. It varies massively, and it can dwarf your gym hour. A brisk walk to the shops, a round of hoovering, a slow dance in the kitchen. Ordinary movement has range.

Why does this beat the gym-only mindset? Because frequency wins. Bodies love repetition, not drama. One high-intensity session followed by nine hours of sitting leaves the metabolism drowsy and the joints stiff. Spread the load, and you keep blood sugar steadier, circulation happier, and your brain less foggy.

There’s also the psychology. Small wins are sticky. If motion lives inside your habits—your commute, your calls, your chores—you don’t need motivation to “start”. You’re already doing it. You just do it a little more, and a little more often.

The method: weave movement into everything

Start with three anchors. Morning light walk: ten minutes out the door before emails. Midday reset: stand, shoulder circles, two flights of stairs or a five-minute errand. Evening unwind: stretch while dinner simmers or stroll after you eat. These anchors break the day into move-friendly chapters.

Next, add “movement triggers”. When the kettle boils, squat slowly five times. Each phone call becomes a walk. TV ad breaks = gentle mobility. Doorways invite a chest stretch. Trains arriving = stairs not escalators. It sounds tiny because it is. Tiny stacks up.

Let your tools be boring but visible. Comfortable shoes by the door. A timer that nudges you up every 50 minutes. A resistance band near the sofa. Music you actually want to move to. The easier it is to start, the less likely you are to talk yourself out of it.

Common traps? Going too hard, too fast. You don’t need 12,000 steps on day one. Try 500 more than yesterday. Another trap is perfection. Missed your morning walk? Take two short ones later. We’ve all had that moment when the day runs away, and so do our best intentions.

Posture guilt helps no one. Your body loves variety, not rigid rules. Swap positions. Sit on the floor for a minute. Stand for emails. Perch on a stool at lunch. Think “different” more than “correct”. Your body is a curious animal; give it new textures of movement and it usually thanks you.

Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day. Consistency lives in forgiveness, not pressure. If the day collapses, reset at the next cup of tea. The star’s mantra: “miss once, move once.” It keeps you in the game.

“Move like you’re tidying your house all day—small, useful, a bit mindless,” he told me, smiling. “It’s ordinary, and that’s why it works.”

• Make calls on foot—indoors or outdoors—three times a day.
• Pick one daily chore you’ll do with intent: brisk hoovering, garden sweep, kitchen dance-clean.
• Use the “60/3” nudge: every 60 minutes, move for 3. Walk the stairs, stretch, or potter.
• Keep a “movement stash” at work: comfy shoes, a light jacket, a band.
• Choose stairs for the first two floors, lifts for the rest. Hybrid beats all-or-nothing.

Why this works long after the credits roll

Ageing isn’t the villain people make it. Inactivity is. A little daily friction—carrying shopping, stepping up, reaching high—signals your muscles and bones to stay ready. That signal doesn’t need to be loud. It needs to be regular.

NEAT also keeps the brain sparky. Walks prime creativity. Fidgeting burns a surprising amount of energy. A short stand-up chat changes your mood. Some days the gym is great. Many days, life is better. **The show doesn’t need a set—your neighbourhood is enough.**

And the best part? It scales. Busy filming day? Stack movement in the margins. Quiet Sunday? Take the long route everywhere. You can be flexible without feeling flaky. The point isn’t discipline. It’s momentum.

What it feels like when life becomes your workout

The first week feels odd, like you’re playing a private game with yourself. Walk while the download bar inches across. Stretch while the soup warms. Take the long corridor. Then it clicks. Your body starts asking for it. The afternoon slump shows up late. Your sleep lands softer. You stand up without negotiating with your knees.

Friends notice the energy before you do. You realise you’ve carried two bags without thinking about it. A colleague suggests “a quick loop while we talk?” and you say yes out of habit. The gym isn’t banished. It’s simply no longer the gatekeeper of your health story.

And if you’re 58—or 38, or 78—the rules don’t change much. You’re not trying to win a medal. You’re trying to be the person who still feels like themselves at 5pm. **Small, repeatable, forgiving movement makes that possible.** It’s not glamorous. It’s good. Share it with someone who’s stuck at their desk. Then take them for a lap around the block.

FAQ :

• Is this enough to improve fitness at 58?Yes, if you do it often. Regular NEAT plus a few strength moves each week can lift stamina, mood, and joint comfort.
• What about strength and bone health?Add two short strength snacks weekly: push-ups at the counter, suitcase carries, sit-to-stands. Heavy groceries count.
• How many steps should I aim for?Start with your current average and add 500–1,000. Many people feel better between 6,000 and 10,000.
• Can I still go to the gym?Of course. The point is that you don’t need it to stay active. Gyms become a bonus, not a burden.
• What if my job is very sedentary?Use timers, walking calls, mini-commutes inside the building, and a lunch loop. Tiny, frequent breaks beat long, rare ones.