Surrey duo wow football legend Paul Merson with 9st 5.5lbs weight loss
Two Surrey men have turned their lives around after losing an incredible 9st 5.5lbs and earning a place in the semi-finals of a national Slimming World competition. Along the way, they even got a personal congratulations from footballing legend Paul Merson.
Aaron Clark, 44, and Neil Hobbs, 66, were chosen out of 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. They were joined by 40 other inspiring men at the organisation’s head office in Derbyshire – and say the whole experience was “unforgettable.”
Aaron from Addlestone, who slimmed from 16st 10lbs to 12st 6lbs, says: “I’d been unhappy with my weight for a while but didn’t really know what to do about it. I found my local Slimming World group after I helped my sister, who was relaunching a Slimming World group, with delivering her leaflets and my son suggested I join.I didn’t know what to expect, but I was welcomed with open arms and no judgment, just support. I soon realised I wasn’t alone. Everyone there understood exactly how I felt, and the group quickly became my weekly reset. Together we talk and plan for the week ahead and how to navigate situations that may send us off track, and that’s been key to keeping me motivated. Even on weeks I’ve not felt like it, the group has been there to get me going again. I love that I can still eat all my favourite meals like curry and breakfast muffins too, and I don’t feel like I’m restricting myself.”
Thanks to Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan, Aaron found the weight steadily came off. He began to feel more energetic and when his Consultant started to talk about Slimming World’s physical activity support programme, Aaron liked the sound of that too. He says: “My Consultant Leeann talked about all the benefits of moving more and despite never thinking I’d enjoy exercise, I decided to give it a go. I started by joining my local gym and building my ability up and now I’m training to become a personal trainer. I’ve learnt that keeping the weight off long-term isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about being active too and now I really look forward to getting out and moving my body.”
Now 5st 1.5lbs lighter, Neil from Guilford says he was over the moon to be invited to the Slimming World Man of the Year 2025 semi-finals. Once 16st 13lbs, he says: “My group gave me the confidence to know I could reach my target, they helped me to start to believe in myself and my ability to lose weight right from my very first group, and being here today 5st 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. As a Pompey fan he is my football hero. We had a chat about my journey and the changes I had made, and he was so down-to-earth.”
Former England and Arsenal star Paul Merson, who’s spoken openly in the media about his own health struggles, said he was blown away by the men’s achievement:
“What Aaron and Neil have 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 they are now. They’ve clearly made changes they can stick to for life – and that’s what it’s all about.”
Neil’s Slimming World Consultant, Vikki Mangan-Rose, who runs the Cranleigh group, says: “We’re all so proud of Neil and Aaron. They’re proof that when you’ve got the right tools, the right food, and the right people around you, anything is possible. Slimming World isn’t about going it alone; we support people no matter their starting point – including those taking weight-loss medication. We understand that starting any weight loss journey takes courage and there’s no judgement for anybody taking weight loss injections. It’s essential though that anyone losing weight creates healthy habits so that they can maintain their any weight loss in the long term though – and that’s where Slimming World comes in. We support our members to build a healthy, balanced lifestyle around real food, activity and support – things that work in the long run.”
Now, with a new lease of life and renewed energy Neil says he’s looking forward to the future. He says: “I’ve got my life back. I’ve got energy, confidence, and a future I’m excited about.”
Aaron adds: “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 for me.”
To find out more, or join a local group, visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk .