Lee Priest grew up in Wallsend, Australia. He's always been a Superman fan, and it started when he was a kid. "Every year, my mother would make me a new suit and a cape for the dog, and I always had Superman stuff," he remembered.[1] Priest's mother was also a bodybuilding competitor, and posed with Priest onstage. Priest started training at the age of 12 with the help and support of his grandfather. He competed for the first time at the age of 13 and won. He went on to win numerous other competitions leading up to him winning the IFBB Mr. Australia at 16 17, 18, and 19. Priest competed at the World's Championship at 17, where he placed 4th. At 19 he again competed and won The Mr. Australia title, but was not allowed to get his pro card in Australia because of his young age. He moved to California at 20, having gained more than 70 pounds of muscle during his teenage years.[2] It was then Priest decided to enter an amateur competition, Niagara Falls Championships. While there, Priest was discovered and given his pro card. Priest became one of the youngest men ever to turn IFBB pro at the age of 20.
Priest competed successfully within the IFBB for 16 years. After falling shy of a notable championship, Priest set his sights on his most elusive opponent The Ironman Pro. After ten years of coming in 2nd or 3rd, 2006 proved Priest's year as the Ironman Pro.
In 2010 he was invited by Paul Dillett to compete in the WBFF, but due to the lack of competition, he decided against competing.
Priest is also an avid racing enthusiast and champion race car driver. He started racing in 2002 with road-racing and circle track. Priest then progressed to drag racing in 2004. He won numerous races and titles[which?] in road and circle track. His most successful bid came within drag-racing. He won Rookie of the Year in 2005. The following year, 2006, he won the SCEDA Racing Championship in Lancaster, California.[citation needed]
Following a seven-year absence from competitive bodybuilding, Lee Priest returned in 2013 to compete in the NABBA Mr Universe where he won the overall title as an amateur.[3] He then appeared as a special guest at the 2014 Universe Championships while he was on tour in the UK.
Priest joined MuscleSport Magazine in November 2014 and began writing a monthly column online and in their print magazine.[4] He was featured on the cover of their Winter 2015 issue.[5]
He has a pet fox, named "Carlos".
Lee Priest starred in the 2018 horrorshort film Round Trip.[6]
You can find Lee Priest's interviews and updates about his life on the Sam's Fitness YouTube Channel.
In 2006, Priest received a 2-year ban from the IFBB for competing in events not sanctioned by the federation. Specifically, Priest had competed in (and won) the Night of Champions (NOC) and the NOC Britain contests that were promoted by Wayne DeMilia and his Pro Division Inc. (PDI). PDI was an organization that was a competitor of and in conflict with the IFBB at the time. Following the 2-year ban, Priest neglected to renew his IFBB membership due to his lack of interest in continuing to compete. Lee's ban resurfaced in 2010 when he was prevented from conducting seminars at an IFBB event in Norway when the IFBB threatened to suspend all the athletes entered in the event if Priest attended.[7][8]
Wayne DeMilia was a prominent figure in professional bodybuilding and had been an officer of the IFBB. Further, through his legal entity PDI, Wayne was the original promoter and developer of the NOC under the IFBB banner. However, DeMilia would part ways with the IFBB due to issues he had with IFBB President Ben Weider. Despite the separation, DeMilia continued to hold his NOC contests as PDI without the blessing of or sanctioning by the IFBB. This would be short-lived and the event is now known as The IFBB New York Pro.[8]
In 2014 NABBA International announced plans to hold a professional bodybuilding competition in Sydney, Australia, in partnership with the World Fitness Federation (WFF) International. This will be the first NABBA professional event held in Australia since the 1990 NABBA World Championships held in Geelong, Victoria.
The Lee Priest Classic Australia 2015 was held on Sunday, 22 March 2015 at the Bankstown Sports Club in Sydney. The contest included both professional and amateur classes with overall male and female amateur class winners receiving a Pro Card from the World Fitness Federation.
A second Lee Priest Classic event was held in the UK in conjunction with Muscle Promotions UK and sanctioned by WFF International. The Lee Priest Classic UK was held on Sunday, 19 July 2015 at The Cresset, Peterborough. The event offered classes for both amateurs and professionals.
Another Blonde Myth (2001) - Footage leading up 2000 night of champions. "Home video footage" provides new look of Lee Priest. Includes his wedding, whole body workouts.
Training Camp and Career Highlights
It's Not Revenge (2006) - In the series Titans, Bodybuilding Superstar Lee Priest trains a few days out of competition in Austin.
Reality DVD series (2006–2008) BodybuildersReality.com
