Boris Johnson looks out of breath while on early-morning run with dog Dilyn

BORIS Johnson has to get his breath back after an early-morning run with his dog Dilyn yesterday.

The Prime Minister, 55, jogged around the grounds of Lambeth Palace in Central London with the Jack Russell cross he bought with fiancee Carrie Symonds, 32, last year.

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He swapped his usual suit and tie for a pair of black running shorts and a casual t-shirt yesterday as he held on to Dilyn’s lead.

It emerged last week that the PM has been taking daily walks in St James’ Park near Downing Street in the mornings, after recovering from his battle with Covid-19.

Mr Johnson is reported to have blamed his struggle with the virus on his weight.

He is said to want to get the nation fit as part of the “recovery plan” to the coronavirus crisis.

The prime minister, previously a critic of the "nanny state", is said to now support a "more interventionist" approach to obesity, which is known to double a coronavirus patient's chances of being hospitalised.

Johnson last month spent three days in intensive care fighting off the virus after his symptoms failed to clear following a ten-day spell in self-isolation.

He is now convinced that his weight is the reason the virus, which for many people is symptomless, had such a dramatic affect on him, The Times reported.

The prime minister has often been photographed jogging or riding a bike through London, but still weighed 17.5 stone, while only 5'9" in height, when he entered hospital.

He has reportedly shed a stone since being discharged from hospital on April 12.

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