Accused TV fitness expert allegedly put chocolate bar for allergic boss, facing isolation but determined to start anew

Friends of Jody Bunting were urged to ‘cut him off’ after the fitness guru was accused of trying to murder his allergic boss with chocolate. 

The 45-year-old’s world was ‘turned upside down’ after a half-eaten £2.25 Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit and Nut caused his manager Kimberley Hoskins to suffer a serious allergic reaction in October 2023. 

After his boss was hospitalised for five days, the former 31-stone Channel 4 star was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder – but this was only the beginning of a year of ‘hell’ for the Derby native.  

A year later the investigation remains ongoing but after a stint in Morocco and his bail coming to an end, Jody has returned to the UK – and he has vowed to rebuild his life following a year of mental and financial struggles. 

Speaking of the shock following the initial arrest, he said: ‘You watch on things on TV but when somebody actually says those words to you out loud, then it becomes very serious. 

‘I wasn’t allowed in the hotel, and it was my income. The further it went on, the more serious it became.’

Describing it as a ‘100 per cent a very lonely time’, Jody said he didn’t know who he could trust at the time and friends were being urged to ‘cut him off’ by their relatives. 

‘I had quite a few of my friends where their friends and family had said, you know, “cut him off, don’t speak with him again”,’ he said. 

Big Breakfast fitness guru Jody Bunting (left) pictured with Kimberley Hoskins (right), the woman he is accused of attempting to murder with a bar of chocolate

Mr Bunting has now vowed returned to Britain following a ‘year of hell’ as police enquiries continue

‘It definitely made me want to hide really because people knew something had happened, and I couldn’t be honest with them. I just felt like I wanted to escape this whole situation,’ Jody added.

The TV fitness guru previously revealed to MailOnline that he and his colleagues at the Mickleover Court Hotel Leisure Club in Derby, knew that their manager Kimberley Hoskins had a potentially life-threatening allergy to cocoa. 

He claimed that he only opted to bring in the 180g chocolate bar into the club on October 21, 2023, after his boss has been signed off sick for a week, and he knew she would not be there. 

After sharing half the bar with colleagues he left the rest on a shelf in the storeroom, writing in the staff’s WhatsApp group chat that the remainder of his ‘favourite’ chocolate was their to eat as he holidayed in Morocco. 

But he alleged none of his co-workers managed to eat the sweet-treat, resulting in his Kimberley coming in five days later and suffering a serious allergic reaction after breathing the chocolate’s fumes. 

An emergency EpiPen injection was administered after Kimberley began showing allergy symptoms and taken by ambulance to Royal Derby Hospital where she spent five days in intensive care.

Jody revealed to MailOnline that his bail conditions have officially come to an end, bolstering his as well as his solicitor’s confidence that this marks ‘the beginning of the end’. 

Both he and his solicitor feel confident that now bail conditions have not been renewed, that it marks ‘the beginning of the end’ 

Jody, who once weighed 31 stone and chartered his weight loss journey to fitness on Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast show in 2001 and 2002

‘The investigation is still underway so there obviously still is that doubt, but even the solicitor has said because the judge won’t extend the bail anymore it’s basically over,’ he added: ‘He’s quite confident that this is basically the beginning of the end.’

‘I definitely felt relieved, my mum was so happy when she found out that the bail had finished – more than I realized,’ he added

‘[It] goes to show how worried she was, but she obviously wasn’t letting on.’

However he alleged there was ‘no evidence’ to suggest he had committed a crime except that Ms Hoskins had been in hospital. 

‘That was the strange thing from the beginning. So I’m not actually sure what the CPS are looking at, because there’s not really much to look at or study.’

‘I think just the fact that the police can waste so much time and obviously taxpayers money for nothing. It makes me doubt the whole legal system.’ 

The fitness instructor spoke of his excitement of bringing his fiancé to England as they prepare for their nuptials in March, as well as looking forward to returning to Micklover Court Hotel. 

‘I’m actually excited because the you know officially the bails over now, and I can go back into the hotel, and I’ve spoken to those friends. It will actually be very normal,’ he said. 

He also alleged there was ‘no evidence’ to suggest he had committed a crime besides Ms Hoskins being hospitalised

‘I’m actually excited because the you know officially the bails over now, and I can go back into the hotel, and I’ve spoken to those friends, it will actually be very normal,’ he said.

Jody Bunting had been on holiday in Morocco as police investigated him for alleged attempted murder – and he was arrested as he returned to the UK

Kimberley Hoskins, whom Jody has been accused of trying to kill after bringing a chocolate bar to the health club she manages

However Jody doesn’t plan on wasting a single second after his plane arrived last Friday – fully focused on rebuilding his life and career. 

‘I’ve got clients booked in the day time on Saturday,’ he said. 

‘This is the time to do it in the New Year, and I don’t want to lose any time. I’m getting going straight away.’ 

He also has welcome home party planned in PopWorld where he is set to be joined by family and clients. 

Despite being under investigation for attempted murder, police allowed Mr Bunting to keep his passport and live in Morocco, where he has lived for the last year.

He travelled from the North African country to the UK once a month to the UK to visit friends and family around, after having ‘to adapt’ to survive and earn money. 

‘Luckily enough, I found some weight loss clients who I have been coaching online, and I have been surviving through that,’ he said. 

‘It also helps to live in Morocco, everything is much cheaper over here, and the weather is brilliant – it has been a key part of my positivity.’

The 46-year-old also divulged that he began a new romance in the north African country, and is newly engaged. 

‘The thought of marrying the love of my life is what keeps me going after what has been a year of hell,’ he quipped.

Despite the turmoil he claims to have endured in the last year, he hopes to set up his own business and marry his partner after coming home to Derby on Saturday

The initial arrest left Jody in complete ‘shock’ with the allegations taking a toll on various aspects of his life – mental, physical and financial

He revealed friends were urged to ‘cut him off’ by other relatives in the midst of the allegations

‘I ended up moving back to Morocco as soon as possible because over here I would have people recognise me and asking about the case. I just wanted to be left alone.’ 

‘I’m quite pleased with myself how I have been able to stay quite positive,’ he said: ‘It was kind of hard, but actually withdrawing, coming here. 

‘It was a great idea, because, I was mentally regrouping, sorting myself out, and I’m able to come back stronger.’

After building a clientele in Morocco, he intends to relaunch his own fitness and nutrition club in March. 

Police are awaiting advice and a charging decision from the Crown Prosecution Service and Mr Bunting has been released under investigation. 

This means he has no requirement to add a police station again but, police enquiries are still ongoing.

A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: ‘A man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and wounding with intent has been released under investigation.

‘The man, who is in his 40s, was arrested on 2 November 2023 in connection with an incident at the Mickleover Court Hotel in Derby between 22 and 29 October 2023.

‘Investigations into the incident remain ongoing.

‘Where serious offences are alleged the force has a duty to conduct a thorough and proportionate investigation.’

MailOnline have approached the CPS for comment.