Gladiators star Sheli McCoy has opened up on how being a victim of domestic abuse inspired her to become a fitness champion.
The Dundonian, known to fans as Sabre, told how she was attacked by an ex-partner during a traumatic relationship in her early twenties.
She says the relationship ended with her suffering two black eyes and her former boyfriend was made the subject of a restraining order against her.
The 35-year-old gym owner, from Menzieshill, revealed her weight went up four dress sizes at the time because she was miserable and overeating.
Sheli vowed to get “strong” after surviving the abuse and has gone on to become a Scottish CrossFit and weightlifting champion.
‘Destructive relationship’
She is now one of the biggest stars on the revamped version of Gladiators, watched by millions on the BBC since it launched last month.
Speaking on the Restless Natives podcast, she said: “The relationship ended with a massive bust-up and ultimately a court date, a restraining order and I had a couple of black eyes.
“It fell to bits and my front door had been kicked in and the police had arrived and there was a person-shaped hole in my bedroom wall.
“The destructive nature of that eight-year relationship took its toll on me.
“At the end of it I was a size 16, four dress sizes larger than I had ever been.
“I was very unhappy and I was definitely not the person I knew I could be.
“I was weak and I had no friends anymore because I had isolated myself or had been isolated from that group.
“My mum, who is a sergeant in the Army, said to me: ‘You are going to get strong and the next time someone has the audacity to raise a hand to you, you are going to raise one right back’.”
‘I’ll never suffer again’
She added: “It was a learning curve and unfortunately I learned the hard way.
“From that moment I literally just decided I would get the old me back and I would never suffer again.
“I’m under no illusion that I’m the only one who has went through that.
“There are so many women out there and men who have been in a relationship where they haven’t been nurtured and have lost their way.
“It’s important that we offer help to those people.
“One thing that shapes the greatness in you is adversity. I honestly don’t think I knew how strong I was until all I had left was to be strong.”
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