Ricky Whittle's 100 fitness regime

Ricky Whittle has revealed he had to hire a personal trainer and ditch the junk food to play muscle-bound Lincoln in The 100.

The former Hollyoaks hunk stars in the new E4 show set in the future after a nuclear disaster has wiped out most known life on Earth. Described as Lost meets The Hunger Games, the show follows 100 chosen youngsters sent down from space station The Ark, to try and start a new life on the planet – where they find they are not alone.

British actor Ricky – whose mysterious character Lincoln is set to arrive on screens on Monday August 4 – has moved out to Los Angeles to join the US show, where he has started dating Bruce Willis’ duaghter Rumer, and revealed he has completely changed his lifestyle.

Ricky, 32, said: ” I’ve actually hired a personal trainer for the first time in my life. I’m taking it very seriously out here. I’ve not drunk for 16 months, that was just a choice but I wanted to be healthier.

“I’ve hung up my football boots because of little niggly injuries. I’m back on to three days a week training hard and physiotherapy.”

The former Strictly Come Dancing star revealed he has even been banned from extreme sports, because the producers want him in peak physical condition to perform his own stunts.

Ricky explained: “It really is tough. Our producer said, ‘Ricky make sure you’ve got the six pack ready,. Put down the shakes, put down the pizza.’ He stopped me doing skydiving because he doesn’t want me to get injured.

“It’s a very action packed show and they like us fit and healthy.

“We are doing a lot of our own stunts. We’ve got a fantastic stunt team, but we all do pretty much our own stunts because it allows the director to shoot whatever he wants, he can shoot a close up. When you use a stunt double it limits what they can shoot.”

::New E4 drama The 100 airs on Monday nights at 9pm

Ricky Whittle's 100 fitness regime