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A primary school teacher has stepped out of the shadows after shedding an astonishing 11st 7lbs. Ray Brown, 40, who's been crowned one of Slimming World's Icons for 2026 – an award honouring the most inspirational slimmers nationwide – underwent such a dramatic change that his own relatives failed to recognise him when he appeared at his wedding vow renewal ceremony looking half his former size.

Ray, who tipped the scales at 24st 51⁄2lbs at his peak, explained: "I've been big since I was a child. Coming from a Caribbean family, making sure the kids were well fed was just part of life – and I was no different. We'd always have big meals with all the trimmings, and I really enjoyed my food.

"Throughout school I was nicknamed 'Big Ray'. As I got older my weight had a huge impact on my confidence. While I had a strong group of friends around me, I often felt like the spare part who was tagging along with the more confident people. And when I started teaching, the thought of socialising with the other teachers filled me with dread."

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Although Ray, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, had experimented with different slimming approaches before, none proved lasting: "I've tried every diet going – juice cleanses and meal-replacement plans where you only had soups and shakes – and I did lose weight for a while, but I was always hungry and miserable. I wasn't keeping track of my weight loss either, and the lack of accountability gave me the perfect excuse to give up.

"I was stuck in a repetitive cycle of yo-yo dieting. Then, in 2015, I met my now-wife Amy, and as we spent more time together enjoying meals out, the weight slowly crept up.

"As I gained weight, everything started to slow down. I'd get out of breath just going up the stairs, and my knees would creak and ache even on short walks – at my age, feeling like that wasn't a good sign.

"After lockdown lifted in 2022, we decided to take our health more seriously. Our GP referred us to a local Slimming World group, giving us vouchers for 12 weeks' membership free on the NHS.

"Amy had previously been a member and always said how lovely her group was, but I felt nervous walking through the doors for the first time. I thought I'd be the only man there and was worried my size would draw attention to me too. I couldn't have been more wrong. The group environment was nothing like I had imagined – there was a such a mix of people and everyone was so welcoming."

Joining the group gave Ray a completely different perspective on losing weight.

He explained: "My consultant, Leanne, has been incredible from the get-go. I felt confident I knew how Slimming World's healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, worked. However, when I explained how I often struggled to stay on track in the past, Leanne went through it with me again and suggested planning my meals for the week and keeping a food diary to help me stick to the plan.

"I did exactly that – using the app and Slimming World Magazine to plan our meals for the next seven days – and I was amazed when I lost 61⁄2lbs in my first week. That was the motivation I needed to keep going.

"I used to dip in and out of plans before, but the flexibility of Food Optimising has made it easy to follow, and it's become something I naturally stick to now without overthinking. I love that I can still enjoy the dishes I grew up on too, such as Brown Stew Chicken with Rice and Peas and homemade Fried Chicken – I've just learned to make simple changes like using low-calorie spray instead of oil.

"I like to meal prep for the week ahead now and I'll keep a few Slimming World meals in the freezer for those days when time gets away from me. And if we have a takeaway now, I'll make a salad to go with it so it feels more balanced rather than something to feel guilty about."

Through Slimming World's active lifestyle programme, Ray found inspiration to build more movement into his daily routine, progressing at his own pace: "I was very sedentary before. As soon as I started losing weight, I noticed I had more energy. So I began with short walks, which soon turned into longer ones – most days, twice a day – and now I enjoy running too. I run three times a week and can even manage a 10k. It's the best feeling, especially as I could barely run 10 metres when I first started.

"For the first time in years, I feel like a completely new version of myself. In fact, my own family didn't recognise me at my and Amy's wedding vow renewal last year. Seeing their reactions was a moment I'll never forget, and it made me realise just how far I'd come.

"I no longer hide away in my classroom during breaks, and when I'm out on the playground I'll even join in with the children playing football – without worrying about being in pain afterwards. Thanks to Slimming World, I'm stepping into my forties feeling stronger, healthier and more confident than I ever imagined possible."

Starting weight: 24st 5.5lbs/341.5lbs/154.9kg

Current weight: 12st 12.5lbs/180.5lbs/81.9kg

Weight loss: 11st 7lbs/161lbs/73kg

Waist size before: 54ins

Waist size now: 32ins

Joined Slimming World: September 2022

Ray is a member of the Wollaston group, led by Consultant Leanne Onderka

Breakfast: A generous bowl of cereal with milk and sugar, plus two slices of buttered toast with jam.

Lunch: Shop-bought triple sandwich meal deal with crisps and a pastry.

Dinner: Takeaway pizza accompanied by chips, followed by sticky toffee pudding and custard.

Snacks: Biscuits, chocolate bars, full-sugar fizzy drinks.

Breakfast: Homemade Weetabix cheesecake or All Bran with blueberries and banana.

Lunch: Homemade chicken shawarma rice bowl, meal-prepped at weekends

Dinner: Slow-cooked beef chilli or pizza-topped chicken served with homemade chips.

Snacks: Fresh fruit paired with yoghurt or a Slimming World Hi-fi bar, cooked lean meats, homemade baked oat bites.