Kerry Katona tells friends that being back with ex Ryan Mahoney has helped her embrace her new curves, after admitting she’s recently gained a stone
She transformed her figure in 2017 thanks to a dramatic health-kick, admitting she was keen to get back in shape after her fiery marriage to third husband George Kay crumbled.
But after mum-of-five Kerry Katona was pictured last week looking happy and content with her new curves, while soaking up the sunshine in Greece ahead of a stay at a health and fitness bootcamp, sources insist the star won’t go to extreme lengths to lose weight again.
And pals say Kerry insists her boyfriend Ryan Mahoney – with whom she rekindled her romance last month after splitting in October – has boosted her confidence.
A source reveals, “Kerry and Ryan have been enjoying cosy nights in together with takeaways, and she’s not been worrying as much about working out or eating healthily. She’s been living in a bit of a bubble with Ryan and says the weight just crept up on her.
“Kerry feels her most confident when she’s toned, so she will eventually get back to working out again and eating a healthier diet. She flew out to Greece for the bootcamp with her eldest daughter Molly, because she wanted to do something good for her body.
She loves feeling cleansed and would like to rid her body of toxins – but she’s refused to go hungry or spend hours in the gym. She says the most important thing is her mental health and she wants to get back into a healthy lifestyle to boost her mood and energy.
"Ryan fills her with body confidence and makes her feel great about herself, whatever her shape.”
CHECK OUT these insane body celeb body transformations
CLOSER Celebrity weight transformations - slider
Spencer Matthews, 2011
Spencer Matthews was known as a typical playboy when he first shot to fame on Made in Chelsea. He actually toldCloser Online lots of juicy behind the scenes secrets about the reality show.
Spencer Matthews, 2019
Fast forward several years and he dropped a tonne of weight and it's reportedly down to his strict diet and ditching the booze.
Stevi Ritchie, 2014
Stevi Ritchie shot to fame on The X Factor back in 2014 and after getting engaged to his wife Chloe Jasmine Whichello, they both went on Celebrity Big Brother.
Stevi Ritchie, 2019
Stevi shocked fans when he revealed he lost a whopping 20kg - just over 3 stone - in just eight weeks. He also opened up about how emotional his transformation has been.
Scarlett Moffatt, 2015
Gogglebox favourite Scarlett Moffatt was well-loved for her bubbly personality, but had issues with her weight.
Scarlett Moffatt, 2016
A year later, Scarlett underwent a huge weight loss - dropping from a size 18 to an 8. Read all about it here.
Kelly Brook, 2010
Model and presenter Kelly Brook has always had perfect hour glass curves, but she shrunk to a size 8 in 2010 when she became the face of Ultimo and appeared in American Playboy magazine.
Kelly Brook, 2018
Approaching her 40s as a happy and healthy size 12, Kelly has spoken about how she's just not bothered about staying a size 8 anymore. But she recently shared how putting weight on her famous big boobs might be causing a bit of a health issue.
Paddy McGuinness 2011
We've always had a soft spot for Take Me Out presenter Paddy McGuinness. But recently...
Paddy McGuinness, 2019
He has been hitting the gym HARD and boy do the results look good!.
Tina Malone, 2014
Shameless star and Celebrity Big Brother big mouth Tina Malone was a size 26 when she left the BB house in 2014.
Tina Malone, 2017
But what a difference a gastric band makes. Tina lost a whopping 12.5 stone after an operation to reduce the volume of her stomach.
Gary Barlow, 1996
The Take That frontman shared this photo in February 2018 to remind himself how far he's come in his weight loss journey. Gary went up to around 16st after Take That split in 1996.
Gary Barlow, 2017
These days, Gary eats healthily and takes part in yoga every week. He now weighs less than 12st.
Josie Gibson, 2010
When Josie won Big Brother in 2010, she was a size 20 dress size and reportedly weighed 16st 17lb.
Josie Gibson, 2012
Josie famously went through a huge weight loss transformation in 2012, dropping to a size 8 and reportedly weighing 10st 2lb.
Mariah Carey, 2017
Mariah Carey stepped out in August 2017 with her boyfriend Brian Tanaka in New York.
Mariah Carey, 2017
Just three months later in October, she looked dramatically different - and was reported to have undergone liposuction.
Lisa Riley, 2012
Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley was known for her size 28 frame, but fans were pleasantly surprised by her sprightliness whilst on Strictly Come Dancing in 2012.
Lisa Riley, 2018
Lisa went under a huge lifestyle overhaul, losing a whopping 12 stone and dropping from a size 28 to a 12 before having her excess skin removed in 2017.
Dawn French, 2005
Everyone's favourite comedienne Dawn French previously weighed around 19st.
Dawn French, 2018
But in 2016, Dawn lost an incredible seven and a half stone - here's how she did it.
Katie Hopkins, 2014
Controversial Katie Hopkins was a regular runner who gained a whopping 3st 5lb in just three months and weighed 12st. But Katie has always said there are 'no excuses' for people being overweight - so what happened?!
Katie Hopkins, 2015
It turned out Katie's rapid weight gain was for a documentary to prove how easy it is for her to lose weight - which she did in just a few months. But we can't help but think it was all a bit of a, errr, pointless exercise?
Tom Kerridge, 2013
TV chef Tom Kerridge weighed a dangerous 30st which he says was due to a lifestyle of late night drinking and overeating.
Tom Kerridge, 2016
After a complete lifestyle overhaul, Tom shredded a staggering 12st - which is basically the same weight as another grown adult. Impressive work, Tom!
Brooke Vincent, 2017
Corrie actress Brooke Vincent was already a petite size 10 but she wanted to give up smoking and get fit for Dancing on Ice.
Brooke Vincent, 2017
And she did it! Brooke lost a dress size and showed off her seriously toned tum on Instagram. She also managed to kick her smoking habit. Yay!
Holly Willoughby, 2015
Morning TV star Holly Willoughby has always had enviable curves and was a size 12 up until recently.
Holly Willoughby, 2017
She looked noticeably slimmer in 2017 when Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha commented on it accidentally on live TV. Holly's secret to staying in shape is said to be a healthy lifestyle of pilates, kickboxing and a high vegetable diet.
Lauren Goodger, 2017
Former TOWIE star Lauren Goodger has always battled with her yo-yo weight.
Lauren Goodger, 2018
Following a tough 21 day juice cleanse at a retreat earlier this year, Lauren lost 1.4st.
Khloe Kardashian, 2012
khloe owns the kind of curves that can only belong to a Kardashian! She is the tallest sister in the fam at 5ft 9in and she reportedly weighed just over 11st in 2012.
Khloe Kardashian, 2017
Fast forward five years and Khloe shredded 30 pounds through a strict exercise regime and diet. She has spoken about how her split from Lamar Odom triggered her decision to hit the gym.
Jennifer Hudson, 2007
Singing sensation and The Voice judge Jennifer Hudson was a size 16 when she first came to our attention as the American Idol winner in 2007.
Jennifer Hudson, 2018
As her career grew her body shrunk after joining Weight Watchers and taking control of her diet. Jennifer dropped five dress sizes and today is a size 6.
Christina Aguilera, 2012
In 2012 Xtina's womanly curves weighed 10 stone 7lb on her 5ft 1 frame and she wore a size 16.
Christina Aguilera, 2016
The pop megastar dropped two stones by 2016 thanks to cutting out bad foods and being very strict with booze. But we're glad to see she's still rocking those curves!
Cheryl, 2015
Nation's sweetheart Cheryl Tweedy has always been super slim but she sparked concerns with her fragile frame during X Factor filming in 2015.
Cheryl, 2018
Cheryl quickly lost the pregnancy weight after giving birth to baby Bear in 2017. She was looking slim but strong at the Brit Awards 2018.
Melissa McCarthy, 2014
The hilarious Melissa McCarthy weighed just under 19st in 2014 after her brilliant performance in Bridesmaids.
Melissa McCarthy, 2017
5ft 2 Melissa lost an amazing 75 pounds through a very strict diet and exercise regime. She looks happier (and even more amazing!) than ever.
Rebel Wilson, 2010
Actress Rebel Wilson defied the typical Hollywood body when she starred in Bridesmaids with fellow actress Melinda McCarthey.
Rebel Wilson, 2017
In 2016 Rebel looked great after losing eight pounds at a fitness retreat in Malibu. By 2017 she'd lost an incredible 33 pounds!
Jonah Hill, 2007
Jonah Hill has always been the 'cuddly' character in films like Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and 21 Jump Street.
Jonah Hill, 2018
What a difference a year makes! He said he lost the weight and toned up by cutting out beer, seeking a nutritionist and getting tips from 21 Jump Street co-star Channing Tatum.
Chris Pratt, 2010
Chris Pratt has always been a total cutie...
Chris Pratt, 2018
But he transformed into an absolute hunk after losing 60 pounds and training for Guardians of the Galaxy.
Holly Hagan, 2011
Geordie Shore star Holly Hagan admitted to having a poor diet of junk food and booze when she weighed 13 stone and wore a size 16 in 2011.
Holly Hagan, 2018
Holly said she wasn't happy with her fluctuating weight and took a lifestyle overhaul to drop to a size 8. She also spent £6000 on a boob job.
Sam Smith, 2015
The whole world fell in love with Sam Smith after releasing his debut album, but Sam has since said that he will always be self conscious of being in the public eye because he loves food so much.
Sam Smith, 2017
Sam hired a nutritional therapist in 2015 and reportedly lost a stone in just two weeks. He then continued a healthy lifestyle by transforming his relationship with food - he's shredded 3.5 stone in total!
Charlotte Crosby, 2013
The Geordie Shore star's weight has always fluctuated but she went from a size 10 to a size 16 a year after being crowned the winner of Celebrity Big Brother.
Charlotte Crosby 2018
She dropped to a size 6 before releasing her workout DVD in 2015. Recently, she spoke about how her breakup with Stephen Bear helps her keep a 'revenge' body.
Vicky Pattison, 2015
After seeing unflattering bikini photos of herself at the beach, Geordie Shore's Vicky took dramatic steps and shrunk from a size 16 to a size 6 in five months.
Vicky Pattison, 2018
The I'm A Celeb jungle queen is now a healthy size 10 and lives a balanced lifestyle, working hard on her fitness regime to be happier and healthier than ever.
Natalie Cassidy, 2005
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Natalie Cassidy, 2018
Now a mum of two, Natalie looks a happy and healthy size after giving birth to her second daughter.
Frankie Essex, 2015
Frankie Essex is a another TOWIE star who has sometimes struggled to maintain a healthy weight.
Frankie Essex, 2018
The Essex girl has recently used a personal trainer and bootcamp workouts to shred a stone in just a couple of months. We think she looks fab!
Joe McElderry, 2013
X-Factor winner Joe McElderry won the nation's hearts with his cute smile and amazing voice in 2009.
Joe McElderry, 2018
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Ricky Wilson, 2005
Living the rock and roll lifestyle took its toll on Ricky Wilson's weight, skin and general health. I predict a diet...
Ricky Wilson, 2016
And we were right! We had to take a double look when he turned up to judge The Voice looking noticeably slimmer and healthier in 2014!
Tom Fletcher, 2005
Tom has spoken about how he had a problematic relationship with food and depression because he felt like 'the fat one' in McFly. (Even though he was DEFINITELY our fave!)
Tom Fletcher, 2018
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Rob Kardashian, 2016
Rob gained over 100lb while struggling with diabetes, depression and anxiety.
Rob Kardashian, 2018
But Rob's recent Instagram posts like this suggest that he's lost the weight. He also posted a throwback to when he was bigger, along with the caption: 'I don't look like this anymore ud83dude02 #thetransformationiscoming #staytuned #nosurgery #putinwork'
Jazmine Franks, 2017
Hollyoaks actress Jazmine Franks has always had a petite frame.
Jazmine Franks, 2018
But the star now looks seriously lean after dedicating herself to a new fitness routine and healthier lifestyle.
Laura Barton, 2014
The Emmerdale actress confessed to being addicted to sugary drinks and drinking a whopping FOUR litres per day.
Laura Barton, 2018
After exercise and cutting out sugary drinks, Laura lost three stone within three years.
Emma Chawner, 2007
During Emma's first audition she told the judges she "couldn't do anymore" singing and after they told her she couldn't sing, her parents went on to confront them all. The dramz.
Emma Chawner, 2019
Fast forward 12 years since her first audition and Emma revealed after swapping junk food for a healthy lifestyle she dropped 12 stone in just two years.
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Opening up about her weight gain last week, reality star Kerry, 38, insisted, “It’s been a busy old time recently and, as a result, I’ve put on a stone. I’m not worried about my figure. I don’t care about being skinny – it’s more about my mental health and feeling good in myself. But I would like to get trimmer.”
Kerry – who has bipolar disorder and admitted her self-esteem hit rock bottom following the collapse of her marriage to personal trainer George – admitted late last year that she was struggling with her mental health, and after ending her romance with Ryan soon after, she told Closer, “I don’t want to let anybody in. Ryan was a lovely guy, but as soon as it became too serious, I went into lock-down.”
But insiders say that after rekindling their romance, Kerry is feeling happy and content, and fitness instructor Ryan has even suggested couple workouts to keep things fun and upbeat.
Kerry has been open about the positive impact exercise has on her mental health, revealing in 2018, “The best pill to take is exercise and eating healthy. It’s not rocket science.”
The source adds, “Ryan’s fitness expertise is great because it means he can offer advice to Kerry and even help train her. He’s suggested they work out together, so it’s more fun and they can sweat it out as a pair. The most important thing for him is that Kerry’s happy. She has told friends she’s loving being in a normal relationship and keeping it low-key. Ryan has always been a great support to her and she’s thankful they’ve found their way back to each other.”
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Kerry has endured her weight battles in the spotlight over the years – yo-yoing between a size 8 and a size 16, and having four-and-a-half litres of fat sucked out during liposuction in 2017 – before finally transforming her body through health and fitness.
Last month, the star revealed she was planning her third boob job – explaining, “I had my implants taken out ten years ago, so this will be my third op on my boobs, but I’m not nervous.”
And after previously admitting to pals she could see herself marrying Ryan, sources say Kerry would love to get her trim physique back for her big day.
The source adds, “Kerry’s so content, and has admitted to pals she can hear wedding bells. Even though she won’t punish herself with any extreme diets or workouts, she’s said that if she married Ryan, she’d want to get her body looking better than ever, just like any bride would.
“There are no specific plans, but she’d love something low-key, like a beach wedding with her closest friends and family.
"But she’s just thankful that Ryan is so supportive and doesn’t make her feel that she needs to lose weight. She feels like she’s found something really special and doesn’t want to lose him this time."
Read the full story in this week's Closer magazine, out now!