 TOP local TV and radio personality Joe Lindsay has interviewed some of the biggest stars of TV and the movies, but he faced the most nerve-wracking test of his life in a humble Belfast gym last week.
The lanky star was taking his first grading in kickboxing – for a yellow belt - and said he had never been more nervous in his life.
“I can’t tell you how nervous I was,” said Lindsay, host of BBC TV’s Getaways and Inside-Out. “I had to go through the moves I had learned over the last number of months and prove I had the ability to be rewarded the belt. When I passed, I was walking on air. I had a smile as wide as the Lagan for the rest of night!
"It was daunting for me, being trained in a gym that boasts four current World, and three European, champions." Lindsay added, "Since taking up the sport I've now changed my eating and drinking habits and am fitter than I've been in a very long time - plus, the whole atmosphere at the gym is just brilliant."
Lindsay has been attending the renowned ProKick gym in Belfast for the last three months, studying under former four time world champion Billy Murray. He first encountered Murray and his gym when he went to interview him. According to Murray, he has been a model student since.
“A lot of people tell me they would love to give kickboxing a try and quite a few come along for a few days – until they realise just how demanding a sport it is,” said the ring king. “But Joe would put many more experienced competitors to shame. He is in everyday for 45 minutes training – and I believe he has been doing some additional training himself in his own time. He’s not joking when he says he was nervous before the grading. He was white as a sheet and was focused on nothing else.
 “He has now got his yellow belt, but he’s no yellow belly. He is planning on moving through the grades and I think there is a spark of something else in there.
I’m talking to him about taking what he has learned into the ring in a competitive bout.”
Lindsay said he is also planning on putting together a Prokick mix dance CD for those training in the gym, that can also be listened to on iPods when people are out jogging. And the 35 year old star is so taken with the sport of kickboxing that he has even convinced his wife Mary to join the beginner's class at the ProKick Gym.
“He’s a wonderful asset to the gym,” said Murray. “He has a great future here and who knows the big fight of the year could be an All BBC clash between 'Jumping Joe Lindsay' and 'BBC's 'Motor Mouth Stephen Nolan' - now I would even pay for that one!.”
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