I was born in Barrow-in-Furness in 1968. I had a fairly happy childhood, my family never had much in terms of money, but mum and dad made sure that we went without anything and that good food was always on the table (a bit too much sometimes!). At the age of 11, when I started secondary school I was constantly tempted by the pie shops and café’s that he needed to walk past to get there from his home. All the money from my paper round went on snacks.  When I was about 16 I lost a lot of his puppy fat gained from my early teens and was quite slender for a while but it did not last! (it lasted about 3 weeks) The problem was I started to work at a holiday camp during the summer months – and all of my money earned went on food.  I remember my dad telling me that I would get very big if I did not cut back, on this occasion I wish I had listened, by the age of 18 my weight was at around 25 stones.
In 1988 I moved to Manchester and started at Manchester polytechnic studying a degree in Economics. I enjoyed the course as well as the freedom to eat what I liked, when I liked and eat I did!  In 1990 I moved in with a friend and decided to lose some weight. At this point I weighed about 28 stone and within around six months I managed to get down to 18 stone. By the time I graduated I looked and felt great. However, my low confidence coupled with low self esteem saw me fall into a dead end job and a cycle of binge eating and depression.   The years that followed saw the weight continue to pile on and despite spells of weight loss I would always put it back on and more.  By January 2003, I most  probably weighed in excess of 50 stones and it was getting hard for me to hold down my job as a bingo caller.  At this point I promised my mum,  that I would lose weight and did manage to lose some but as soon as my ulcerated legs healed I returned to what I knew best eating.  It was my best friend, it asked no questions of me and made no demands.  In August 2003, my best friend Lucy Horan fearing for my life wrote to ITV’s This Morning asking for help.  In February 2004 I met with Dr Chris Steele from ITV’s This Morning and together we started a fantastic journey together.  Dr Chris and I worked together on a simple weight loss programme based on a low fat and light moderate exercise.  When I first  met with Dr Chris I weighed 44 stones and 2 pounds.  “You need to be about 13 and half stone for your height, but we know you won’t be able to do that” said Dr Chris.  Even the most optimistic person would not predict that within a year I would have lost over 20 stones (a UK record) and in just over two years be running the London Marathon and reaching a goal weight of 13 and a half stones.

I has managed to keep the weight off for the past 2 years (it has been a really challenge and sometimes very testing and I am now looking forward to new opportunities my come his way.  I have already achieved a lot and listed below are a number of things I has been involved in.

TV

My story was featured on ITV1’s This Morning in April 2005 and since then I have appeared on a regular basis on the show as a “friend” of This Morning.  I have appeared as an “expert” on 3 occasions talking about my Charlie’s Choice of low fat meals.  I also took part in the Beat the Stylist segment of the show.   I have been on a show on loads of occasions, have had two make-overs; called bingo in a sparkling jacket and been driven down the river themes in a tuxedo on a speedboat.
In October and November 2007 “Changing with Charlie” a 5 week strand on This Morning was broadcast.

I have also appeared on the following shows.

ITN News
Granada Reports (twice)
Channel M – The Run, Channel M News (Twice), The Channel M Breakfast Show (Twice)
Go North West – ITV
BBC Manchester Run and Great North Run Special
Jenson – (Chat show in Amsterdam – main guest)
Kelly (UTV)
A Current Affair (Channel 9 – Australia twice)
South Korean TV Network documentary.

RADIO

I have been a guest on many radio shows including Radio 5 Live; Talk radio; BBC Asian Network; Key 103; BBC Radio Manchester on a few occasions; BBC local radio stations throughout the UK. I also hosted my own radio show on hospital radio (radio wishing well). and hosted my own show called “Charlie’s Cheesy Chat” on Allfm, a Manchester based community radio station.

NEWSPAPERS and MAGAZINES

I have appeared in the Daily Mirror on three occasions, the Sunday Times, the Sun online and in the Manchester Evening News and many local and regional newspapers on a regular occasion.   Lorraine Kelly wrote some nice things about me in her Sun newspaper column in 2005.

I also write a newspaper column called “see you lighter” in the North West Evening Mail based in Barrow-in-Furness, Dr Chris think it is great and I received some great feedback.  

I have appeared in Chat magazine (twice); health service magazine; Great Run Magazine on many occasions; Gala Bingo customer magazine; TV Times; Daily Star TV magazine; Slimming and Weight loss (Australia) and the Weekly News

Well, i've been asked to share my weight loss experience with the members of the Mudgee Health Centre in Australia! So, in March (2008) that's where i will be heading!