Former Premier League star Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock has lost seven stone after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery.
The 54-year-old former Liverpool and Spurs defender who has also appeared on reality shows I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity MasterChef, told MailOnline the operation “saved my life” after admitting eating and drinking had gotten out of hand.
He was inspired to have the procedure by James ‘Arg’ Argent, who has lost 13 stones since undergoing the same operation in May 2021, after meeting the former TOWIE star, 35, at a celebrity football match. .
Speaking exclusively, Razor says his weight “shot up” as much as 27 stone during lockdown after he discovered the Uber Eats takeaway service and was able to order ice cream direct to his house.
Razor said: ‘I struggled during Covid, that was a big factor, just sitting on my back at home getting bigger. I got lazier.
Former Premier League star Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock has lost seven stone after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery (pictured in 2019)
The former Liverpool and Spurs defender told MailOnline the operation “saved my life” after admitting his eating and drinking had gotten out of control (pictured after surgery)
He was inspired to undergo the procedure by James Argent, who has lost 13 stones since undergoing the same operation in May 2021, after meeting the former TOWIE star at a celebrity soccer match.
“I was eating lots and lots of takeout, making bacon sandwiches just to do something.
‘It didn’t really help when they brought out Uber Deliveries, I was getting ice cream from Co-op… that’s fucking crazy.
‘It was just fate that I met Arg when I did at a charity football match. I knew I had to get it done after seeing how good it looked.’
Speaking about how his life was in danger, he added: ‘I feared for my life, definitely.
‘I know a lot of people will read this and say I cheated, and I tell you what I did… I cheated death.
‘The way it was going, who knows how long it could go on like this.’
The English international, considered one of the most colorful characters in football, underwent surgery on September 8 with Transform Hospital Group, the specialized clinic that also operated on Arg.
Razor, a father of four who has been married to former glamor model Leah, 41, for ten years, explained how doctors removed two-thirds of his stomach, so he can no longer overeat as it fill faster.
Razor, a father of four, explained how doctors removed two-thirds of his stomach, so he can no longer overeat as he fills up faster (pictured in 2013)
Neil, considered one of the most colorful characters in football, underwent surgery on September 8 with Transform Hospital Group, the specialist clinic that also operated on Arg.
James has lost 13 stones after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery in 2021. In addition to the procedure, he underwent a tummy tuck in January to remove excess skin around his stomach (pictured in 2019)
He said: ‘I can still eat what I want, but now I can only eat about four bites.
‘So when I’m at my local curry house, I order three dishes and eat one bite of each. I get the same satisfaction because it fills me up.’
He continued: ‘It also takes away some hormones. I can drive by McDonald’s with the kids and I don’t want anything. Whereas before, even if she wasn’t hungry, she would have been.
“My usual order would be a Big Mac meal, a Filet-O-Fish, a cheeseburger, and a chocolate milkshake…that was delicious.”
Razor, who was fitted with a pacemaker after being diagnosed with a heart problem while appearing on the ITV1 series Harry’s Heroes in 2020, suffered pain in his knees courtesy of his weight, which has now decreased.
And the former Millwall and Southampton star was also a heavy drinker, but thanks to his operation, he can no longer consume fizzy drinks, so his favorite beverages, beer and cider, are off limits, although he can still enjoy a glass of wine. .
“Now I understand my wife’s wine hangovers, I used to tell her to man up,” he joked. “But now I understand, they are so painful.”
The popular after-dinner speaker, who also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2013, intends to lose “a couple more stones” by continuing his new healthy lifestyle, while playing more golf, as he no longer you need to use a buggy to get around. course.
Razor also says he’s even more confident posing nude, something he did regularly while appearing as a guest on Sky Max comedy sports panel show A League Of Their Own.
He added: ‘The old wedding crew has gotten so much bigger, I can do helicopters and everything with it. I can actually see it now!