'I'm a Liverpool icon who nearly died due to weight – I was terrified but made changes'

Former Liverpool star Neil Ruddock once confessed he had to lose weight in order to save his life.

The ex-defender, 56, revealed that he hit 28 stone during lockdown, with his waistline severely impacting his health. But Ruddock has since dropped a whopping 11 stone after making drastic changes in his life.

While he spent five seasons at Anfield, Ruddock also played for Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham during a career which lasted from 1986 until 2002. Yet 'Razor', as he was called, was known for his hard-living off the pitch as much as he was for his tough persona on it.

However, speaking to The Telegraph, Ruddock explained that his diet of casual drinking and takeaways had to stop as it was preventing him from doing day-to-day tasks. "We live in a three-storey townhouse and I didn't go upstairs to the top floor for three years, too much hard work," Ruddock said.

His struggles with his size became so severe that he once called a taxi to drive him 400 yards uphill to a train station. "Walking around hurt. I was tired," he added.

The tough-tackling star candidly admitted he would even distort the truth about his issues. "Secretly I was terrified," he said. Such was the ex-Anfield star's issues, doctors even told him he had mere months to live.

"I went to the doctor with bad ankles, bad knees," he said. "He told me to get in the gym but I was saying 'I can't, my ankles and knees are too bad'.

"Food and drink made me happy, and it spiralled well out of control. Not just my physical health, but mental health as well. I felt a bit dizzy and went to see a specialist and it was my heart. I was told I had three months to live. And that was a big kick up the backside."

Ruddock credits his appearance on reality show Harry’s Heroes in 2020 with changing his life. The show revolved around Harry Redknapp – who also managed him at West Ham – coaching a team of former England players for one last game against a team of German legends.

Ruddock collapsed while training on the show and was rushed to hospital. "Without doing that TV show, I wouldn't be here today," said Ruddock, who received a pacemaker after the incident.

Inspired by The Only Way is Essex star James Argent's dramatic weight loss after meeting him at a charity football match, Ruddock eventually opted for gastric band surgery in May 2021. Argent lost 13 stone after reaching 27 stone himself. He has since had 70 per cent of his stomach removed, now describing it as "the size of a baby's."

Since shifting the weight, Ruddock says he enjoys cooking daily for a diet that consists of fish, potatoes, bean burgers and vegetarian options. From doing very little in the way of exercise, he now goes on dog walks, hits the gym and swims.

Ruddock also admitted that he had to part with his famous alter-ego in order to turn his life around. "It's not like I'm a split personality," he said. "I don't worry if people call me 'Razor' still. But I know I just can't be him anymore."

Ruddock called time on his career after a stint with Swindon Town in 2002. He made 466 appearances at club level, scoring 42 goals. He won the Intertoto Cup with West Ham in 1999 and the League Cup with Liverpool in 1995.