'Pathetic': Joe Wicks pranked in the middle of the night ahead of Cheltenham Literature Festival
Celebrity fitness coach Joe Wicks has called a prankster in Gloucestershire 'pathetic' for waking him up in the middle of the night.
The social media star posted on his Instagram story to say he was woken up just before midnight after the phone in his Cheltenham hotel room was ringing repeatedly.
The television star is in Gloucester as part of a UK tour promoting his new book, The Burpee Bears, and is speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday 9 October.
The coach posted online: "Right. Who's the joker? Two words: Stitch up. Yeah. The room phone's ringing - ringing, ringing and ringing. I'm like, 'who's ringing at ten to 12[am]'.
"Knock on the door: 'Mr Wicks, your brother's here. He's downstairs, he wants to come and he wants to speak to you.'
"So, I'm like, 'that's a bit weird cos [sic] both my brothers are definitely not in Cheltenham.' I thought, 'maybe, they've not done...'
"That'll teach me won't it - to put a big photo of my hotel room on my Instagram Stories and stuff, going to bed at eight o'clock. [I'm] a bit of plonker... But I'm not a plonker."
Ahead of the nocturnal prank, The Body Coach had posted photos and videos of him arriving in Cheltenham.
On his Instagram story, Joe asked for restaurant recommendations, shared photos of him dining at the No 131 hotel and announced he was going to bed at 8pm.
In further posts, Joe seemed to find the funny side of the prank.
"Good joke, though," he said.
"I nearly came down and had a gin and tonic with ya. I went to the geezer [hotel staff] that knocked... on my door.
"He's going, 'Mr Wicks.' I've gone, 'who is he? Is he drunk?' I said, 'has he had a few sherbets?'
"He says 'no, he sounded fine.' I said, 'well, listen. He's clever isn't he? He's planned it. He's scheming. They're vicious.'"
"Don't bother me... Oh no, it's like water off a duck's back so I'll just go back to sleep, so yeah. I'll be fine, I mean I'm not bothered.
"He knew what he was doing. He planned it, see? He waited until midnight, till I was half asleep, fully asleep if anything. Too bloody asleep really.
The popular athlete has since posted videos of him arriving at the auditorium at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.
On social media, he said: "Here we are. Look at the size of this!
"So, this is [where] we're reading 'The Burpee Bears'. It holds 1500 [people], i doubt it's gonna be a full house, but we're gonna have a right old laugh.
"I'll get them doing a few running on the spots, a few star jumps and I'll be reading the book up here for all the kids and families that turn up. So, I look forward to seeing you soon, it kicks off at 10!"
Joe is among several famous faces speaking at the festival, including actors Ben Miller and Dawn French, TV personality Clare Balding as well as columnist Giles Coren.