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SHE’S famously faced her own weight battles – so telly favourite Josie Gibson knows exactly what James “Arg” Argent is going through.
Former Towie star Arg, 33, is planning to have a gastric band operation after he ballooned to 26st, claiming: “I don’t want to die. An op is the only way I can lose weight.”
And while Josie, 36, admires his bravery in speaking up, she reckons he must be “in a dark place” to be considering such a drastic step.
Bristol-born Josie lost 6st in 2013, going from a size 20 to an 8 and even releasing her own fitness DVD – but put on four-and-a-half stone while pregnant with her son Reggie.
Earlier this year, she vowed to slim from a size 18 down to a 12.
Josie says: “You stop watching what you’re eating and being accountable for your weight and it just sneaks up on you.
“Before you know it, you don’t recognise the person in the mirror any more. What I love about Arg is he’s been so honest about it – and from a bloke’s perspective as well.
Courage
“It’s taken a lot of courage for him to come forward and say that he’s struggled with his weight.
“I think he’s gone into a dark place if he feels he needs a gastric band. This is his last resort – he’s probably at the end of his tether and this is his way out.
“For me, it wouldn’t be the road I’d go down – but from what I know of Arg, he’s a nice guy and I wish him all the best.”
Since becoming an ambassador for WW (formerly Weight Watchers) in January, Josie has shed more than a stone and feels great.
She says: “I started at 17st and I’m now 15st 10lbs. I’m really happy. I think I was so big that I didn’t notice the loss, but I feel good.
“I’ve got so much energy. I can now run after my little boy and I feel back to me again.”
And she has no hesitation over donning a bikini when the weather heats up. “I’ve always been quite confident,” she adds. “It doesn’t bother me. I’ll get into a bikini. You’ve got to get a tan somehow.”
Since winning Big Brother in 2010, Josie has appeared in a string of reality and panel shows, and is a presenter on This Morning.
But now she is mum to Reggie, two, she is keen to keep her life more private. Josie says: “I enjoy being a TV presenter, because I go into work and do my job – but with reality TV, there isn’t an off switch.
“It’s nice to be able to keep my life private. Don’t get me wrong, if anyone asks me anything I’ll probably tell them everything – I’m not a private person. But it’s just nice to have that bit of distance.
“A production company asked if I would do a reality show where they would film Reg and me as a new mum when he was just born. I turned them down.
“I know other people want to do that, but I just thought I’m only doing motherhood the once, so I want to enjoy to myself. I d invade my bu
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“He got right up into their faces and my sister didn’t know what else to do, so she grabbed her camera.
“He picked up my little dog and threw him to the ground and then he rugby tackled my 18-year-old baby sister – in broad daylight – down to the ground.
“They were both screaming at him and he ran off in the end, but they were so frightened. Thank the
Lord there were two of them. I was so angry – I was furious.
“I think there’s been a social breakdown in behaviour, because if we all looked out for each other like in the old days, there would be more of a backlash.
“We’re living in a scary world and going into this Big Brother age, where everything is tracked.
“But sometimes I think might actually be a good idea.”
The Josie Gibson Edit for Regatta Great Outdoors is now available at regatta.com – starting from just £20. that