‘Downton Abbey’ Star Hugh Bonneville, 56, Shows Off Weight Loss & Hair Makeover In New Interview — Watch

The biggest 2020 male glow up award goes to Hugh Bonneville! The English actor and 'Downton Abbey' star is showing off big weight loss and new close cropped hair, shaving years off his age.

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Image Credit: SplashNews

Some celebrities have used the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine to come out the other side looking so fit and trim. Count Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville among them. The 56-year-old stunned audiences when he appeared on The BBC’s The One Show on Aug. 6, with his face looking so slim and his hair stylish and close-cropped. It used to be longer when he played Lord Grantham on Downton Abbey. While he appeared on TV remotely and was only seen from his chest up, his noticeable weight loss wowed viewers, with some saying he now looks like British adventurer Bear Grylls.

Hugh Bonneville
‘Downton Abbey’ star Hugh Bonneville seen on left in June 2013 while shopping in Sussex, England. On right, Hugh shows off his weight loss and hair makeover during an Aug. 6, 2020 appearance on the BBC’s ‘The One Show.’ Photo credits: SplashNews/BBC.

@rachyann_rachy tweeted, “Hugh Bonneville is unrecognisable on #TheOneShow he’s lost loads of weight. Thought they’d got the name wrong til he spoke.” @jurassicjen_uk agreed, claiming, “He looks a different man! Bear Grylls from a distance.” One man named @mancunianmedic joked that, “Having just seen @hughbon new slimline physique on @BBCTheOneShow my wife said ‘Dave. You don’t need to get as thin as Hugh Bonneville.’ Me: ‘Darling. I would settle for being as thin as Hugh was *before* he lost the weight’ (Long way to go, sadly).”

Hugh Bonneville
Hugh Bonneville goes shopping in Rye, Sussex, UK. in June 2013. Photo credit: SplashNews. Seven years later he’s slimmed down and has a fashionable new hairstyle.

While Hugh appeared on the show to discuss a project he was working on, in the past he has revealed that a combination of exercise and changing his eating habits helped him slimmed down from when his wife gave him loving jabs about his softer frame. He told the U.K.’s The Telegraph in 2009 that he hired a personal trainer and had cut back on large portions and high carb foods after his wife ribbed him about being overweight. It’s been a road of progress, and look how great Hugh looks now!

Over time, Hugh has trimmed down so much. But his appearance on The One Show was the first time many that many fans have seen him in awhile, so they were happily stunned by his new look. He’s one of a number of stars who have had major makeovers in 2020, with quarantine helping some take the time to really double down on diet and exercise.

Actress Rebel Wilson, singer Adele, cookbook author Ayesha Curry and former reality star Rob Kardashian are just some of the big names who have showed off their brand new bodies in 2020. You can check out their amazing transformations in our gallery here.