Single James Argent WILL have gastric surgery at 26 stone

‘I’ve been struggling to find a purpose’: Single James Argent admits he feels ‘lonely’ and reveals he WILL have gastric surgery after his doctor called his 26 stone weight ‘danger territory’

  • James has been celebrating one year and a month of sobriety following a near fatal drugs overdose
  • The Loose Women congratulated James and said he shouldn’t beat himself up about his weight because he has done so well beating his drug addiction

He’s been very open about struggling to control his weight in lockdown after tipping the scales at 26 stone and said he is keen to get life-saving gastric surgery. 

And TOWIE star James Argent, 33, appeared on Loose Women on Tuesday and revealed he’s been ‘struggling to find a purpose’ amid the pandemic.

Gemma Collins’s ex revealed he has felt ‘lonely and bored’ since they split and hasn’t been able to stick to his exercise regime now that things have closed. 

‘Struggling to find a purpose’: Single James Argent told Loose Women on Tuesday he feels ‘lonely’ and WILL have gastric surgery after his doctor called his 26st weight ‘danger territory’

Wow: James uploaded a throwback snap on Saturday after declaring 'enough is enough,' (pictured in 2015)

Wow: James uploaded a throwback snap on Saturday after declaring ‘enough is enough,’ (pictured in 2015) 

However, he should be very proud in that he has managed to stay sober for one year and one month following a near fatal drugs overdose.  

He told the panel: ‘I’m one year and one month clean and sober, so I always knew that was my main objective. That has been amazing for me, but I have really struggled in lockdown.

‘I was going boxing and swimming regularly before. All of that got taken away. I know that’s not just my excuse. Since I was a teen, I’ve always gone up and down. It’s not a recent thing. 

He told the panel: 'I'm one year and one month clean and sober, so I always knew that was my main objective. That has been amazing for me, but I have really struggled in lockdown'

He told the panel: ‘I’m one year and one month clean and sober, so I always knew that was my main objective. That has been amazing for me, but I have really struggled in lockdown’

James said: 'I was going boxing and swimming regularly before. All of that got taken away. I know that's not just my excuse. Since I was a teen, I've always gone up and down'

James said: ‘I was going boxing and swimming regularly before. All of that got taken away. I know that’s not just my excuse. Since I was a teen, I’ve always gone up and down’

‘I’ve been struggling with my weight and an eating disorder since I was a teenager. I’m always busy doing my singing with my band, but everything has been cancelled and postponed. I’ve been struggling to find a purpose.

‘I can’t work, do the exercise I want to do or visit my friends. I found myself bored, lonely and isolated. I turned to food from boredom. I haven’t got a girlfriend to live with or another friend of mine. 

‘I’m the biggest I’ve ever been, but I want to do something about it. I want to get back to my best.’

James said he is hoping to get life-saving gastric surgery and his doctor has agreed he needs to do something. 

Close: James said his best friend Mark Wright has been very supportive and said: ' I speak to him every day. He's seriously concerned. He wants to help me' (pictured in 2011)

Close: James said his best friend Mark Wright has been very supportive and said: ‘ I speak to him every day. He’s seriously concerned. He wants to help me’ (pictured in 2011)

He said: ‘I spoke to my doctor on the phone numerous amounts of time and even though I had lost a lot of weight at the start of the year I was always considering weight loss surgery. 

‘My doctor said the weight I am right now, 26 stone, that is danger territory. My mum and my dad both suffer from heart problems and my dad has got a pacemaker so there could be serious implications for my heart.

‘People even say to me, with my weight as it is at the moment, if I catch Covid, I could be one of the people that could be in serious trouble.’

He added: ‘It is difficult as it is intense and serious. It’s nothing to be taken lightly. I know that if I just work hard then I can do it. It’s just about maintaining it. I’ve always struggled finding a happy medium.

‘I believe from the research I’ve done, it can potentially really help me in terms of portion control. It’ll help me long-term. Health is number one.

‘I’m rotating three different clothes as that’s all that fits me at the moment. All my friends and family haven’t said it’s too drastic – I think I have to go for it.’

James said his best friend Mark Wright has been very supportive and said: ‘I speak to him every day. He’s seriously concerned. He wants to help me.’

The Loose Women panel congratulated James on his sobriety and said he shouldn’t beat himself up too much because he has already achieved a great deal.   

He concluded: ‘I feel once I’ve got my weight sorted, sky is the limit for me. Once I tackle this, I’ve got a real positive future ahead of me.’

Loose Women weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV and catch up on the ITV Hub  

That's the spirit: He concluded: 'I feel once I've got my weight sorted, sky is the limit for me. Once I tackle this, I've got a real positive future ahead of me'

That’s the spirit: He concluded: ‘I feel once I’ve got my weight sorted, sky is the limit for me. Once I tackle this, I’ve got a real positive future ahead of me’