How Pawn Star Chumlee made his incredible transformation

Since 2009, 'Pawn Stars' is one of the most successful and recognizable programmes on television. The History Channel has already aired nineteen seasons of this docu-reality that follows the day-to-day business of the Harrison family pawn shop.

After the death of Old Man Harrison in 2018, his son Rick took command of the store. Corey, Rick's son, is now learning the trade in order to succeed him. The third protagonist of the show is Austin Russell, also known as Chumlee.

A childhood friend of Corey, Chumlee (born in September 1982) began working in the store at the age of 21. By now, he has been in the business for half his life, helping the Harrisons, transporting parts and testing old weapons - which, of course, makes for fascinating television.

Chumlee's friendliness and authenticity have made him a fan favourite in a show that appears in more than 150 countries.

Since he has such a large legion of fans, Chumlee is a central figure in 'Pawn Stars.'

The Harrison family takes good care of Chumlee - for example, when he got into trouble in 2016 for the illegal possession of weapons and prohibited substances.

Chumlee was sentenced to three years of probation and therapy. He managed to avoid jail through a stroke of luck and a tremendous attorney.

In 2019, Chumlee decided to change his lifestyle in every way. At the time, his weight was over 150 kilos (330 pounds). It was clear that he needed to lose weight for a better health.

Chumlee told People magazine that the time had come "to think about my health." And so he did.

Within a little over two months, Chumlee lost about 20 kilos (44 pounds). However, he wanted to go further and have bariatric surgery.

Chumlee's initial goal was to lose a total of 90 kilos (200 pounds). In the end, he settled for about 70 kilos (154 pounds), which is still quite impressive.

With a weight loss of 70 kilos, Chumlee's appearance has completely changed. He proudly shared his great transformation on social media.

"Can you believe it, I've lost over 150lbs !!" Chumlee proudly shared his own achievement and also had encouraging words for others attempting a similar process of weight loss.

"How many people out there have always struggled with your weight like I did?" he asked his followers. "What's been the hardest part of losing weight for you?"

Chumlee took the time to respond personally to the people who shared their stories below his post. The 39-year-old reality personality is clearly a friend to his fans on social media.

Currently, 'Pawn Stars' is airing its nineteenth season. It is still unclear whether and when a twentieth season will be released.