At his heaviest, 48 year old Kenny Higgins weighed a staggering 34st 7lbs (206.3kg) and could "barely walk".

The turning point came when he collapsed in a supermarket while shopping with his then six year old daughter Hope, prompting him to overhaul his lifestyle.

Now weighing just 12st 7lb, Kenny has lost almost two thirds of his body weight, earning him the title of Slimming World's Greatest Loser 2025.

He said: "I'm able to move now without being in crippling pain, and I'm no longer dependent on other people to help me get by. I also don't have to think twice about simple tasks that once felt impossible – like doing my food shopping or tying my shoelaces. Being able to fit in the chairs comfortably is the best feeling too."

Kenny, from Blackpool, Lancashire, revealed he was bullied at school for being the "big kid" and his weight only continued to escalate as he aged.

He confessed: "I used food as a source of comfort, and lived on takeaways and junk food - I used to spend a minimum of £140 a week on them.

"I was barely living - I was too scared to leave the house, and when I did, it was usually for one of my many visits to the hospital.

"I also reached a point where all my health problems became too overwhelming."

The father suffered from "severe" back pain and "out of control" asthma, which led him to constantly "battle" chest infections.

Kenny revealed the struggle of his weight loss journey, remarking on various methods that didn't render long-lasting outcomes.

He said: "I had been referred to nutritionists and other weight-loss groups through my doctor in the past however I never felt like I was getting any actual support.

"In the end I'd revert back to my old habits and would be back at square one in no time."

The father had previously managed to shed a staggering 17st with Slimming World back in 2015 but admitted that as "life got in the way," he stopped attending sessions, leading to a regain of the weight.

Well-known across the UK and Ireland for its weight loss support services, Slimming World has been instrumental in many a success story.

Kenny's turning point came when he fell seriously ill on an outing with his daughter in 2023, prompting another determined effort to lose weight.

Recounting his alarming experience, he said: "I was rushed to hospital and the doctors told me I was the verge of having a heart attack.

"I was initially put on a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order because they didn't believe I'd be able to survive.

"By some miracle, I managed to pull through - this was the wakeup call I needed to make a change this time for good."

After spending three long weeks in an Intensive Care Unit, Kenny was spurred on by his friend Bev Houlihan to give Slimming World another go, joining a group together in Blackpool.

Reflecting on his concerns about returning, he shares: "I was worried I'd be judged for regaining the weight I'd lost all those years ago, but I needn't have been.

"My consultant Natalie helped me look at the positives and reminded me that as I'd done it once before, I could do it again – and that's stuck with me throughout my whole journey."

Kenny was crowned Slimming World's Greatest Loser 2025, an accolade given to the member who has achieved the most significant weight loss across the organisation's 13,000 groups.

Kenny said: "I wanted to be the best dad I could be for my children, and now I can be the version they deserve.

"I've finally found that silver lining that people talked about and it is just the beginning for me."