Wednesday 6 July 2022 04:18 AM Real reason behind notorious gangster Sharky's new look spotted back Australia ... trends now
A notorious money lender who was once dubbed Australia's toughest gangster has been spotted looking unrecognisable in Queensland - and says he achieved the look through a popular new trend.
Former millionaire Tim 'Sharky' Ward, fled from the Gold Coast to the streets of Thailand in 2009 after finding himself in the crosshairs of the Australian police.
The heavily tattooed Kiwi expatriate quickly forged a reputation in the Asian nation as the 'Shark of Pattaya', known for his intimidating bodybuilder physique and tough stance towards indebted borrowers.
But after stepping out of the spotlight four years ago, the former nightclub owner quietly returned to the Gold Coast during the Covid pandemic - where he has undergone a drastic transformation.
Ward has since broken his silence over the weight loss, saying a new approach to eating was behind his astonishing weight loss and was motivated to shed the kilograms to be a better dirt bike rider.
'I got into intermittent fasting because it's good for you,' he told the Courier Mail.
'I'm carrying too much weight to do it properly. You can't be 120kgs and go out into the bush on a bike – you ride about a kilometre, and then you gas out.'
Tim 'Sharky' Ward (pictured left) became an icon in the streets of Thailand after fleeing Australia in 2009 after getting into trouble with police
Footage posted online by a fan has revealed Sharky has leaned down his muscle mass in recent years - putting it down to intermitten fasting
Ward said despite moving back to the Gold Coast, where he used to own a series of venues, he has left his old lifestyle behind.
'I'll never be part of that again,' he said. 'It was a part of my life, but it's gone now – I just want to chill out, ride my dirt bikes and relax.'
He also maintained he's never taken any drugs and has removed people from his life who were users, before maintaining his plan to eventually return to Thailand when the country lifted its Covid vaccine mandate.
'It doesn't really matter what I do for work does it?' he said. 'I'm in the bush – I just want to ride my bikes and chill.'
The former millionaire is an ex Gold Coast nightclub owner who has a penchant for luxury cars
The bodybuilder has been spending his time going on motorbike jaunts around Queensland and said he was motivated to lose weight to become a better rider
Footage posted on TikTok by a fan shows the once burly Ferrari fanatic - who built a cult following in the body building community - has lost much of his muscle mass and grown out his formerly close-shaved head and facial hair.
'Sharky lost his size,' the follower lamented, alongside a crying emoji.
Since moving back to Australia, Ward has relaxed into a laidback lifestyle on the Gold Coast, frequently sharing photos of his countryside motorbike rides with his more than 66,000 Facebook followers.
Other images show sunsets and sunrises over the picturesque water cannels that branch throughout the city.
