Jason Manford has channelled his inner Cristiano Ronaldo as he prepares for his Soccer Aid appearance.
But no, we don’t mean he’s planning to cause controversy on the pitch with Wayne Rooney.
The Salford comic has been having treatment for his sporting injuries using a cold therapy treatment that is popular with footballers and other athletes.
Jason, 39, has been documenting his journey into fitness over the last few months and has reportedly shed over a stone in weight thanks to running, Peloton sessions and football training.
But after racking up a few injuries thanks to his new healthier lifestyle, he’s started to feel the strain.
And who better than his Scarborough co-star and fitness fanatic Catherine Tyldesley to help him on his quest for being pain free?
Soccer Aid 2020 was due to take place at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, in June but due to the coronavirus pandemic, that couldn't happen.
But the charity football match, featuring stars of sport, stage and screen, returns this weekend - so Jason decided to be prepared.
Jason visited the CryoLab in Manchester to undergo Cryotherapy treatment with Cath, who swears by the treatment, which involves dropping down to -130°C temperatures.
A lot of the Premier League clubs will have access to their own private cryotherapy chambers and some professional footballers, such as Ronaldo, even have their own chamber at home for personal use.
The 'ice bath' uses liquid nitrogen to kickstart the body into fight or flight mode, which triggers a release of epinephrine, endorphins and anti-inflammatory proteins.
It works by tricking the body into thinking it's going into hypothermia and this process then leads to the blood rushing to the core of the body, which increases metabolism and energy levels.
It is believed that a session in the chamber can help muscular injuries heal three times quicker than normal and this is why it's increasingly popular within premier league football clubs - and wannabe footballers like Jason.
The CryoLab is based in North Manchester and offers an array of cryotherapy treatments spanning both the sporting and beauty industries. www.thecryolab.co.uk / instagram.com/thecryolab
