James ‘Arg’ Argent opens up on life-saving surgery after reaching 27 stone during lockdown

James ‘Arg’ Argent spoke to today’s Good Morning Britain of reaching 27 stone, his upcoming “life-changing” gastric surgery and his relationship status with Gemma Collins. 

Of reaching 27 stone, Arg said: “It has been worrying. It’s been difficult putting on so much weight and obviously the fact I’ve got so big. It kind of shows I haven’t been in the greatest of places. But I’m sitting here this morning, I’m feeling super positive. The birds are singing in Essex, I’m outside, I’m up early, I’ve got life-changing surgery, which is going to be taking place in the near future, it’s all booked up. I really feel like I’m making positive steps and I can’t wait to get back to my very best.”

 He added: “I have been through an awful lot. Some people go through life quite plain sailing, other people find life a bit more difficult and stuff. I’ve certainly gone through it. I do believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m really excited, first and foremost the most important thing for me is health and that’s what I’m concentrating on fully at the moment.”

Confirming his weight, Arg said: “Yes, I’m currently at 27 stone. I’ve been speaking, especially since I opened up about how much I weigh recently, 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.”

Arg explained: “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.”

Speaking about having gastric surgery he said: “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.”

Arg added: “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% of the comeback he has then that would be the dream for me.”

Arg also spoke of whether he and Gemma Collins are an item. He said: “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.”

And of a 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?”