James 'Arg' Argent has been warned by doctors he could be "a goner" if he tests positive for coronavirus, due to his 27-stone size.
James 'Arg' Argent
The 'Only Way is Essex' star has booked in "life-saving" gastric surgery after struggling with his weight since he was a teenager, and he is desperate to turn his life around "before it's too late".
He said: "I’m currently at 27 stone. I’ve been speaking regularly to the doctors and nurses at Transform Hospital Group. They’ve been giving me advice.
"They’ve basically been saying, the size I am at the moment, it could be fatal. If I was to catch COVID, I could be a goner.
"It’s not just that, my mum and dad, they’ve had heart problems themselves, so it’s kind of in my family hereditary, in my genes and stuff.
"I’ve got to tackle this now before it’s too late.
"I’ve been struggling with my weight since I was a teenager. The last 15/ 16 years I’ve always found it almost impossible to have a healthy balance and a happy medium.
"I’m not saying I can’t lose the weight without this type of surgery, but I’ve never been able to maintain it before. So I just believe that going for it this time, I’ve made a decision, I’ve spoken to all my friends, family, everyone’s had their opinions and you know nine times out of 10, they’ve said it’s not funny anymore, go for it. That’s why I’ve made the decision.
"It’s not like I’ve put weight on in lockdown and I’m doing something drastic to get it off, this is something that I’ve had this underlying issue in terms of weight and eating disorder since I was a teenager."
Arg is yet to decide which type of gastric surgery to undergo, but he is inspired by professional boxer Tyson Fury, who shed nine stone and became a world champion fighter.
The reality star explained: "It’s a really, really serious operation. At the moment I haven’t decided specifically which one it’s going to be, there’s options of a sleeve, bypass, I need to still do a bit more research, speak to a few more people.
"But the surgery is going to happen, it’s going to happen in the near future. I really hope it’s going to work for me, it’s going to be life changing.
"I’m inspired by Tyson Fury. He’s a heavyweight champion of the world, he’s had similar problems and demons to me in terms of drugs, in terms of drink, in terms of weight. He was morbidly obese.
"If he can turn it around and come back and become a world champion and get his life in order.
"I’m not saying I’m going to go on and become a world champion but if I can have 10 per cent of the comeback he has then that would be the dream for me."
Arg and his former 'TOWIE' co-star Gemma Collins have been in an on/off relationship for years, and while they are just friends for now, he insisted they will "always be close".
Speaking on 'Good Morning Britain', he added: "We’re not officially back together. It’s impossible to be in a relationship with anyone bearing in mind I can’t meet anyone outside of my house and stuff like that.
"But I suppose on the positive note, she’s no longer blocked on my phone.
"Listen, we’re friends at the moment and we have been in contact and you know, whatever happens between me and Gemma, we’ve been through a hell of a lot together and we’re always going to be close."
Speaking about her rumoured sex tape, Arg said: "I mean, unfortunately for everyone at home, if she had made a sex tape it certainly wasn’t with me.
"I’m not too sure how much a sex tape of me and Gemma would go for.
"I did watch 'Life Stories' and I was a bit amused to say the least about the sex tape, maybe I was a little bit jealous.
"I might have to ask Gemma to show me, but maybe she had made one, maybe she got a bit of backlash and she’s panicked and now she’s saying it never happened. Who knows with Gemma, you never know do you?"
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