World's fattest man to get married after U.S. woman who fell in love with him proposes on TV show

• Rebecca Mountain proposed to Paul Mason as they appeared on The View
• He immediately said 'yes', but a date for the wedding has not yet been set
• First he must have surgery to remove excess skin left after 48st weigh loss
• Show's hosts announce they will help fund expenses for the procedure
  
• Pair first met online last year after she saw a documentary about his obesity

By Damien Gayle

Published: 06:02 EDT, 15 January 2014 | Updated: 08:50 EDT, 15 January 2014

A Briton who was once the world's fattest man at 70st is to marry after his American girlfriend proposed to him on a U.S. television show.

Paul Mason, 53, from Ipswich, Suffolk, who has since slimmed down to a comparatively svelte 22st, immediately said 'yes' to Rebecca Mountain, 40, from Orange, Massachusetts.

And the former postman vowed to get into the shape of his life for their big day, saying: 'I don’t want to go down that aisle in a wheelchair.'

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Engaged: Paul Mason, centre, who was once the world's fattest man, and Rebecca Mountain, right, on The View The pair are to marry after she proposed to him during their interview on the ABC show

Forty-year-old Miss Mountain, who is a slender 8st, asked for his hand in marriage as they appeared live on ABC's The View, BBC News reported.

And that wasn't the only surprise Mr Mason had in store, as the show's hosts announced that as an engagement present they would donate towards the amount needed to fund surgery to remove excess skin following his dramatic weight loss.

Asked if a date had been set for their wedding, Miss Mountain told The View: 'There’s so many things we need to do to take care of Paul first.

'There will be another surgery for his legs but not for another six to eight months.'

The engagement comes after the pair fell in love online following Mr Mason's incredible 48st weight loss thanks to NHS surgery.

Mr Mason flew to the U.S. in December to spend Christmas with Miss Mountain, and also for a consultation with a New York-based plastic surgeon who had agreed to carry out the procedure for free.

Dr Jennifer Capla agreed to donate her time to perform an operation to remove the excess skin from Mr Mason's belly and arms, meaning that he and Miss Mountain only need to find the cash for his hospital stay and drugs.

That's where The View stepped in for Mr Mason's second surprise, as they offered to stump up the $17,000 (£10,341) he needed to cover the medical expenses.

Mr Mason said: 'I'm excited, all I've got to do is go back to the UK, get a medical visa, and then come back.'

Found love: In 2013 Mr Mason appeared on television to tell the world of his blossoming relationship with Rebecca Mountain

Miss Mountain first got in touch with Mr Mason on Facebook after she saw a television documentary about his extreme obesity.

Appearing on UK breakfast television programme last November, in the week they met in person for the first time, she said she 'just felt compelled to reach out and just try to help and that's all it was.'

'I have a lot of drive and just thought I could write letters and support,' she said. 'Things I set my sights on, I just go and do. I just knew that I should try and help.

'He's incredible, a genuine person. Incredibly honest and open about the difficulties he's been through, which helped our relationship.'

Mr Mason's binge eating began in his 20s at the time of his father's death and a deterioration in his mother's health.

He quit his job as a postman when his weight stopped him from finishing his rounds.

World's fattest man: At the height of his food addiction, Mr Mason was eating an entire pack of bacon, four sausages and four eggs with bread and hash browns for breakfast and lived in a specially adapted home

Then: At his largest, the former postman would then eat quadruple portions of fish and chips along with two kebabs for lunch followed by a roast dinner, curries or pizza and more chips in the evening

As his weight soared he was left unable to stand or walk before finally becoming bed-ridden and being looked after full time by council carers.

Firefighters had to demolish the front wall of his former home so they could drive a fork lift truck inside to lift him out and put him into an ambulance when he needed a hernia operation in 2002.

Mr Mason was later given a purpose-built housing association home with extra wide doorways so he could move around. His care bill cost taxpayers an estimated £100,000 a year and is believed to have topped £1million.

At the height of his food addiction, he was eating an entire packet of bacon, four sausages and four eggs complete with bread and hash browns for breakfast.

He would then eat quadruple portions of fish and chips along with two kebabs for lunch followed by a roast dinner, curries or pizza and more chips in the evening.

Mr Mason finally beat the bulge after an NHS operation to fit him with a gastric band, but his life was left on hold as he waited for further surgery to remove the excess skin it left behind.

Now he and Miss Mountain hope that after The View is broadcast in the U.S. on Friday, the publicity surrounding it will help them raise the rest of the cash they need for the aftercare following his surgery.