James Argent has spoken out about his recent weight loss journey, revealing he decided to put a stone back on after feeling he had lost ‘too much weight’.

The former The Only Way Is Essex star has been open in recent months about his commitment to losing weight, having lost 14 stone after adopting a healthy eating regime and doing more exercise.

The 35-year-old also previously suffered from substance abuse issues, turning to his close friend Mark Wright for help when he was at a low point in his life.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Friday, the reality star addressed his former struggles, the loneliness he suffered and finally accepting help from his loved ones, stating: ‘You’ve got to want it yourself.

He continued: ‘You’ve got to be ready, because there’s people out there that lose their children, they lose their job, their wife or girlfriend leaves them, but that isn’t enough for them to stop or get help. So you’ve really got to kind of want it yourself and I suppose sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom unfortunately, and not always everyone makes it from hitting rock bottom.’

After Ben Shephard praised him on his weight loss, James shared that he lost a total of 14 stone.

James opened up about his journey (Picture: ITV)

‘But I think a lost a little bit too much weight,’ he added.

‘I mean in my mind, I told myself the skinnier you are, the slimmer you are the better, but that’s not always the case. So I’ve managed to gradually get a stone back on, and I now I feel that I’m at a healthy balanced weight.’

As well as speaking to GMB co-hosts Ben and Kate Garraway, James also performed a Christmas song on the ITV programme, crooning with back-up musicians on stage with him.

The reality star turned his life around (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex/Shutterstock)

‘A few years ago, [I spent] Christmas on his own,’ he recollected.

‘The fact that I’m here today in the studio clean and sober, I’m coming here singing Christmas songs… I remember there was a Christmas where I the whole of Christmas Day alone in my house.’

The singer is currently dating Stella Turian, who at 18 years old is 17 years his junior.

‘Stella is extremely intelligent, very talented and she’s fluent in four ­languages, including English, which is lucky, as my Italian’s not great, although it’s improving. And she’s beautiful, too. I feel very lucky,’ he told The Sun.

‘Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remind myself this is all really happening.’

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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The reality star lost 14 stone in total.