A National Lottery millionaire has revealed he was involved in an explosive row at his local gym after being “fat-shamed” by a fellow member.
Adam Lopez, a Norwich-based former builder who scooped a National Lottery scratch card fortune and holds a Guinness World Record, has said he was targeted by another member at Nuffield Health Norwich.
The millionaire claims a female member loudly suggested he should try sumo wrestling during a visit to Nuffield Health on Barrack Street on Monday.
“It was loud and in front of a good handful of members,” he told Eastern Daily Press.
Mr Lopez, who had previously been a member at David Lloyd Norwich, before switching to Nuffield Health, was particularly frustrated that no action was taken at the time.
“The lifeguard on poolside at the time did nothing,” he added.
Angered by the encounter, Mr Lopez hit back at the woman through an Instagram post in which he called her fat. He acknowledged that his social media response was “brutal” but said: “I was really annoyed.”
The retaliation has since landed him in trouble with the gym. Mr Lopez received an email informing him that a “serious complaint” had been lodged against him, and he had been due to meet with a Nuffield Health manager to discuss the matter.
The row occurred at Nuffield Health Norwich
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A Nuffield Health spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident that occurred on Monday, as well as subsequent public social media posts.”
Senior management at the club were “actively managing the situation with those involved,” the spokesman added, noting that the gym takes “all instances of both fat shaming and threatening behaviour extremely seriously.”
Mr Lopez set his unusual Guinness World Record at the same Nuffield Health facility in April 2024, completing the fastest mile ever run underwater.
His life changed dramatically in June 2025 when he won a lottery scratch card jackpot that made him a millionaire. Among his purchases was a Range Rover Sport SUV valued at roughly £75,000, alongside spending on shopping and socialising.
Adam Lopez became a millionaire through the National Lottery and holds a Guinness World Record
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However, his good fortune was soon overshadowed by a medical emergency. Months after his win, Mr Lopez was rushed to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with a bilateral pulmonary embolism affecting both lungs, a condition that left him fighting for his life.
He described the experience as his “whole world came tumbling down,” though he has since made a complete recovery.
The news comes as British lottery players have been presented with what has been described as a “massive opportunity” with the arrival of the National Lottery’s Powerball game, offering prizes that could reach as high as £1billion.
UK participants will pay £4 per line to compete alongside American players for shared jackpots distributed over three decades.
Operator Allwyn confirmed that tickets had gone on sale, with the current estimated prize pot sitting at $416million, or approximately £311million.
Andy Carter, a senior winners’ advisor at Allwyn, told GB News: “Powerball is the biggest lottery in the world. If you like, the UK is joining it as the 49th state.”
He highlighted that the jackpot has no ceiling, noting it has surpassed $1bn on six occasions since 2021, once exceeding $2bn.
“This is generational wealth,” Mr Carter said.