At school I participated in most sports playing football (soccer), badminton, tennis and cricket. I represented Manchester schools at both badminton and football and have always been an active sports enthusiast. I support Manchester United and have done so since I can remember.
After I left school in 1985 my first job was as a bank clerk. I decided to join the R.A.F some 18 months later with the intention of becoming a Physical Training Instructor (PTI). I joined up as an administration clerk as there were no PTI vacancies at the time and was informed that I could change trades when a position became available.
I remained very active playing football, rugby and going to the gym. I did two R.A.F power-lifting competitions just for fun really but enjoyed weight training. A position as a PTI came up and I applied only to be turned down due to having bad eye sight in one eye. Why they didn't tell me this in the first place I don't know, so subsequently I left the R.A.F in August 1989.
After leaving the R.A.F I went into the sales industry but found myself not doing any sports as it took up most of my time and I started to get lazy. I moved to Spain in 1991 and it was there that I decided join a gym. I was living in Fuengirola on the Costa Del Sol. I joined a gym called Nuevo Estillo, which was owed by a famous Spanish bodybuilder called Paco Mula. It was there that I decided to get into bodybuilding and started to train with this in mind.
I was encouraged to compete after just 6 months of training but felt I was not ready. I felt I needed to build a solid foundation first.
I came back to England in 1992 and joined Busy Bodies gym which was owned by Paul Heatley and found a great training partner called Mike Codling who was a great asset whilst training up to my first bodybuilding show. Paul introduced me to a man for contest advice called Kerry Kayes.
Kerry has been the biggest influence through my entire bodybuilding career and helped me prepare for my first shows in 1993. I entered four bodybuilding shows in total, winning them all. The main win was the British intermediate championships and the "Weider New Star of the Year". This was the beginning of my competitive career.
I am the manager of CNP Professional owned by Kerry Kayes. I found out 5 weeks before I was due to compete in the Toronto Pro invitation and Night of the Champions that I was to become a father. This was not what I expected whilst preparing for a show, but I was overjoyed.
My daughter Chloe was born on the 27th November 2001, just 3 weeks after I competed in the British Grand Prix. I was there for the birth, the greatest moment of my life.