Hollywood star who once tipped scales at 380lbs unveils shock weight loss… can you guess who?

by

As a huge fan of Mike & Molly, I was absolutely shocked when I saw pictures of Billy Gardell in Los Angeles this week! He’s lost a remarkable 170 pounds, and honestly, he looked completely different – in the best way possible! It was amazing to see how much his hard work has paid off.

After struggling with type 2 diabetes and reaching a weight of 380 pounds, he had gastric bypass surgery in 2021 and successfully lost weight.

The 56-year-old was seen looking slimmer and more stylish while enjoying a walk with his wife, Patty, on a sunny day.

He wore a loose-fitting white sweater that showed off his lean build, paired with acid wash jeans and white sneakers.

The tall actor, standing at six feet, smiled brightly after working out, smoothing his hair back and adding tortoiseshell sunglasses to complete his look.

This unusual appearance follows a recent interview with Gardell, where he shared with People that the gastric bypass surgery he had four years ago was life-saving.

Gardell realized the seriousness of his health during the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained that when the first wave hit and high-risk conditions were announced, he discovered he had them all.

He had a lot of health problems – he was overweight, had sleep apnea, smoked, had type 2 diabetes, and asthma. It was a particularly bad combination of issues, all happening at once.

With concerning blood test results, rising blood pressure, a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and then getting COVID, I realized I absolutely had to change my lifestyle, no matter how difficult it would be.

The celebrity, who is six feet tall, reports a significant improvement in his health. He says his diabetes has disappeared, and he now feels strong and energetic, attributing his life-saving transformation to weight loss.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen firsthand that weight loss is so much more than just surgery. While I had bariatric surgery back on July 17, 2021, what really made the difference for me was a complete change in how I approach food – it wasn’t just about what I ate, but a total shift in my mindset.

I realized food is simply nourishment – it shouldn’t be used for comfort, as a treat, or to cope with feelings. I needed to change how I thought about it emotionally.

After his surgery, he lost more than 170 pounds by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. He now weighs between 210 and 215 pounds.

Gardell shared memories of his childhood, explaining how his parents’ divorce created difficulties that affected his early experiences with food.

When I was fourteen, I had to take on a lot of responsibility to help support my family. My second stepfather wasn’t a good man, and I think I gained weight as a way to protect myself.

He left home at 17 to become a comedian, but soon started eating to cope with both his anxieties and any good news. He used food as a way to deal with difficult feelings and to reward himself when things went well.

He shared that ‘both of those things are poison pills.’ 

He then spent years going on and off different diets, trying everything from low-carb and keto to intermittent fasting.

He also mentioned that while he tried many different approaches, he couldn’t stick with any of them for very long, describing his efforts as a cycle of starting and stopping.

For a while, his weight didn’t seem to be a problem. In 2010, he got the lead role in the popular CBS sitcom, Mike & Molly, alongside Melissa McCarthy.

Oh my gosh, this show… it completely consumed me! It’s about this adorable couple who find each other at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting, and it went on for SIX seasons! Seriously, it was life-changing, and I’ve heard Kate Gardell say it actually changed her life too. Can you believe she was the romantic lead at 350 pounds? It just proves life is so wonderfully weird and amazing, doesn’t it? I’m obsessed, truly!

Three years after his initial TV success, he created the comedy Bob Hearts Abishola, about a man who develops feelings for his nurse while recovering from a heart attack.

But after a while he began to start having issues with his health.

‘I had gotten so big and so stationary that it hurt to stand up,’ he shared.

The actor began to worry about being there for his wife, Patty, and son Will, 22, in the future.

He considered weight-loss surgery on two occasions but backed out each time. It wasn’t until a health scare with COVID-19 that he finally decided to go through with it, admitting he was desperate for a change.

Gardell thanks his surgeon, Dr. Philippe Quilici, and nutritionist Teri Hlubik, saying they were key to his incredible change.

Gardell prioritizes a healthy lifestyle with a consistent routine. He starts with a turkey sausage sandwich for breakfast and has cottage cheese with fruit later in the day, followed by a simple, healthy dinner avoiding fried or sugary items. He also stays well-hydrated by drinking 75 ounces of water each day, and takes daily multivitamins, fish oil, and a probiotic. To stay active, he exercises three or four times a week.

He indulges in small splurges like a ‘forkful’ of birthday cake or one slice of pizza on occasion.

The weight-loss has reshaped his everyday life and strengthened the bonds with his family.

He explained that he can now comfortably fly in a middle seat on a plane and even go shopping and buy clothes off the rack.

Besides his other work, Gardell is recognized for his roles on the TV show Sullivan & Son and for voicing Santa Claus in Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas.

He has been married to wife Patty Knight since 2001. 

Read More

2025-12-13 01:34