The Dutch guru denies allegations of domestic violence. But work has stopped on his biopic

The “Iceman” is in hot water. Wim Hof, a Dutch athlete famous for his ability to withstand extreme temperatures, has built a devoted and celebrity-studded following by extolling the benefits of cold plunges and breathing exercises. His trademark Wim Hof Method is billed as a way to “keep your body and mind in its optimal natural state”. Behind his image of a clean-living guru, however, Hof is now accused of being a dirtbag whose life is in an extremely suboptimal state. On Saturday, de Volkskrant, a Dutch newspaper, published a shocking report about the wellness influencer, accusing him of horrific domestic violence. Hof denies ever having been violent, has said that he intends to take legal action against the newspaper, and has already filed a complaint for alleged defamation against one of his accusers.

There is a reason these allegations are coming out now. A biopic about the self-styled Iceman, with the actor Joseph Fiennes in the lead, is in the works. When Hof’s ex-partner, Caroline, was told about the film, she wanted to tell her side of the story. On Monday, de Volkskrant reported that production of the biopic had been temporarily halted due to “the seriousness of the accusations”.