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Jason Manford loses three stone after shock at reaching 17 stone

Watch: Jason Manford sheds three stone after making New Year's resolution to lose weight

Comedian Jason Manford has revealed a dramatic three-stone weight loss after shocking himself by tipping the scales at 17 stone.

Manford, 40, has managed to drop from 17st 5lb to 14st 10lb in just six months after deciding enough was enough when he stood on the scales at New Year.

Read more: Jason Manford's 'underprivileged childhood' motivates him to keep kids grounded

The TV and radio star told The Mirror he had thought about his weight "every day of my adult life" and started to question whether he was getting enough joy out of life because it was such a constant worry.

Jason Manford has lost three stone. (Getty)
Jason Manford has lost three stone. (Getty)

Manford, who has been supported in his weight loss journey by his wife and children – four from his first marriage and two from his second – admitted that he had worried about whether he would still be funny if he slimmed down.

Having been labelled a "fat Michael Owen" by a heckler early in his career, he began to use the joke as one of his trademark quips.

He said the insult had hurt, but added: “But then I started to write jokes about being overweight – you can take the power away from the bully or the heckler – they were my defence."

Sharing his worries about how his new image might affect his routines, which include an anecdote about getting stuck on a water slide, he said: “Most comics I thought were funny were overweight. If you are lean and good-looking an audience will go ‘What’s your struggle been?’.

“You think ‘Will I still be funny if I’m slim?’."

However, Manford decided he needed to get fit for himself and his loved ones, and has lost weight without using any gimmicks but simply by reducing his calories and increasing the amount of exercise he does.

SOUTHWOLD, ENGLAND - JULY 20: Jason Manford performs on the comedy stage during Latitude Festival 2019 at Henham Park on July 20, 2019 in Southwold, England. (Photo by Carla Speight/Getty Images)
Jason Manford worried his weight loss would affect his comedy. (Carla Speight/Getty Images)

The comedian also runs Facebook group The Jason Manford Weight Loss Support Group, where he and his group members support each other to achieve their goals.

Manford is due to start a new stand-up tour in August called Like Me.

But he said he wasn't too worried that his image would change so drastically that it would transform his routine, saying that him looking like an Adonis was "never going to happen".

Watch: Jason Manford won't spoil his kids because of 'underprivileged' childhood