Former Lost star Ian Somerhalder struggled to keep weight on while playing historical adventurer Marco Polo in a new TV movie, thanks to a crippling Chinese summer heatwave.

The actor, who was the first castmate to be killed off on the hit desert island TV drama, admits he struggled to play the 13th century explorer as heat and humidity played havoc with his health.

He explains, "It got upwards of 110 degrees, with 30, 40 percent humidity, and I was wearing all these Chinese robes. There's no amount of amazing Chinese food you can eat to make up for that."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)