James Argent says he put back on a stone after losing ‘too much’ weight

The reality star lost 14 stone after getting gastric surgery

James Argent arrives at the "Fantastic Beasts: The Secret of Dumbledore" World Premiere at The Royal Festival Hall (Getty Images)

James Argent has said he is back at a “healthy weight” after putting a stone back on.

The TOWIE star said he felt he had “lost too much” weight after undergoing gastric surgery last year and losing 14 stone.

Argent, 35, previously weighed 27 stone (171kg) and got the gastric sleeve operation after he was told by doctors that he was “dicing with death”.

After having the surgery in April 2021, he lost 14 stone (88kg). However, the TV personality said he lost “a little bit too much weight” in the process.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain (GMB) today (Friday 23 December), Argent said: “I felt like I lost too much, so I managed to get back a stone, and now I feel like I’m a healthy weight.”

Previously he told The Sun that losing so much weight made him happy with the way he looked for “the first time in my life”.

“I don’t feel ugly anymore,” he said in an interview published in February. “I’m content and happy with my appearance.”

But, Argent added, he had “lost a little bit too much weight” to be healthy. “Everyone thinks it’s hilarious, we didn’t think we’d ever be in this situation but it’s one thing or another with me – that’s just me!”

James Argent attends The Sun Military Awards at Banqueting House on December 13, 2018 (Getty Images)

Having previously struggled with addiction to alcohol and drugs, the reality star has been candid about how his weight issues began when he started binge eating after completing rehabilitation.

He said that the Covid lockdown disrupted his plans to stay active and caused him to replace alcohol and drugs with unhealthy food.

Elsewhere in his interview with GMB, Argent reflected on how his addiction impacted the way he viewed the festive season.

“The fact I’m here today in the studio, clean and sober, coming in here and singing Christmas songs… there was one Christmas I spent the whole day alone in my house, so the fact I’ve managed to turn things around is great and it shows that stories around addiction don’t have to end in tragedy,” he said.