A TEIGNMOUTH man has turned his life around after losing 7st 8lbs and earning a place in the semi-finals of a national slimming competition.

Along the way, he was personally congratulated by footballing legend Paul Merson.

Courtney Weatherbed, 37, was chosen from thousands of men who attend Slimming World groups across the UK and Ireland to attend the semi-finals of Slimming World’s 2025 Man of the Year competition. He was joined by 41 others at the organisation’s head office and says the whole experience was ‘unforgettable’.

Courtney, who slimmed from 21st to 13st 5.5lbs, said: ‘I’d been unhappy with my weight for a while.

'I found my local Slimming World group after my friends and family raved about it.

‘I didn’t know what to expect, but I was welcomed with open arms and no judgment, just support.

‘Everyone there understood exactly how I felt, and the group quickly became my weekly reset.

‘Together we plan the week ahead and how to navigate situations that may send us off track, and that’s been key to keeping me motivated.

‘I love that I can still eat all my favourite meals like pasta and don’t feel I’m restricting myself.’

He began to feel more energetic and his consultant Claire Hannaford discussed Slimming World’s physical activity support programme.

He said: ‘Claire talked about the benefits of moving more and despite never thinking I’d enjoy exercise, I decided to give it a go.

‘I started running and did a couch to 25K and now I absolutely love it and run up to 10K three times a week.

‘I’ve learnt keeping the weight off long-term isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about being active too.’

Now 7st 8lbs lighter, Courtney says he was over the moon to be invited to the Slimming World Man of the Year 2025 semi-finals.

He said: ‘My group gave me the confidence to know I could reach my target, they helped me start to believe in myself and my ability to lose weight, and being more than 7st lighter is unreal.

‘On top of that, being at the semi-finals of the Man of the Year competition, surrounded by people who’ve changed their lives like I have and then meeting Paul Merson has been unforgettable.

‘We had a chat about the changes I had made, and he was so down-to-earth.’

Former England and Arsenal star Paul Merson, who’s spoken openly about his own health struggles, was blown away by Courtney’s achievement.

‘What Courtney’s done is nothing short of incredible.

‘Losing that amount of weight takes real commitment.

‘But what impressed me even more is how happy and confident he is now.

‘He’s clearly made changes he can stick to for life and that’s what it’s all about,’ said Paul.

Consultant, Claire, who runs the Dawlish group, said: ‘We’re all so proud of Courtney.

'He’s proof when you’ve got the right tools, the right food, and the right people around you, anything is possible.’

Courtney said: ‘I’ve got my life back. I’ve got energy, confidence, and a future I’m excited about.

'If there’s someone reading this who feels like I used to, I’d just say, give it a go, it’s been life-changing.’

Claire’s Dawlish group meets every Wednesday at 7pm at Dawlish Scout Hut.