Ben Yeo, 47, Shows Off New Fit Bod, Says It’s Not Mid-Life Crisis But "Mid-Life Confidence"

How would you mark turning fit, fab — and 47?

If you’re Mediacorp actor-host Ben Yeo, the answer is simple: strip off your shirt, show off the abs, and set Instagram on fire.

The father of two teen boys, who celebrated his birthday on September 23, got everyone in a tizzy when he posted a series of shirtless snaps from a special photoshoot.

His caption read: “47 Defined. Ahead of my 47th birthday, I collaborated with a few friends for a photoshoot to mark a personal milestone. Not just to show how I look but to celebrate how I feel at this stage of life.”

Cue fire emojis and thirsty comments.

Hong Kong actress and his Yummy Yummy (2005) co-star Charmaine Sheh joined in with flames, YES 933 DJ Chen Ning joked that Ben “spoil market”, while Kunhua asked if he could “touch [the abs] next time.”

Actor Jeremy Chan summed it up best: “47 ... got 20+ [year old] body. Respect, brother.”

From dad bod to defined

But Ben is quick to insist this wasn’t an overnight glow-up. “Secret training leh,” he tells 8days.sg.

“You know how cham I was the past one year? Last time, I had tummy.”

After four years of zero exercise, the aches and pains started creeping in. “Finger joints also pain, really no joke. I realised it’s because last time when I worked out, muscles supported everything. But now the muscles have started to degenerate. I kan cheong already.”

That panic turned into discipline: five to six days a week at the gym, cardio twice a day in the lead-up to the photoshoot, and even saying goodbye to sugar.

“I went cold turkey, like taking drugs. I have a sweet tooth and the first three weeks I was super negative, until I realised it was because I cut sugar,” says Ben.

He currently weighs 64kg and hopes to gradually build more muscle mass to hit 70kg. 

So, was this topless shoot a case of mid-life crisis?

Ben laughs it off: “Of course not. It’s mid-life confidence. Once you feel stronger, you feel more confident.”

But there’s another reason too — family.

“My older son is 16. When I was 16, I failed IPPT ‘cos I couldn’t do chin-ups. So I hope to inspire him. He sees me train every day, and after his exams he said he also wants to start working out,” shares Ben.

His wife, however, was more indifferent to his transformation and shirtless pics.

“She said no feeling,” he laughs. “You see, my wife is so encouraging.”

He continues: “She said that she sees me topless at home all the time, so it’s nothing new. If she goes ‘wah wah wah’ when she sees the photos, wouldn’t it be very fake?”

Ben says the shoot wasn’t about fishing for fire emojis.

“For me, my end goal was photos to show my one-year transformation and what I have achieved. Hopefully next year, I can go even better.”

And it seems his hard work has inspired more than just IG followers. “After I posted, I got so many DMs asking about my routine. Even my boss texted me asking for tips. Friends in their 40s also told me I inspired them to start working out.”

And no, there are no plans for a shirtless calendar (unless Mediacorp wants to make one).

“Maybe start an OnlyFans… but healthy one,” he jokes. “I’m not so narcissistic. I’m just keeping them on Instagram.