Tributes have been paid to Barry Austin who died on Friday, 1st of January, aged 52. Barry gained notoriety for his excessive eating and once took part in a Sky One documentary ‘Inside Britain’s Fattest Man’ presented by Richard Hammond.

He also took part in the ITV comedy-drama ‘The Fattest Man in Britain’ starring Timothy Spall and Bobby Ball.

Barry, who used to drink up to 40 pints of beer on a night out and was nicknamed ‘Fat Baz’, also had his own column in a magazing and would often be seen on BBC news commenting on current affairs.

At one point he consumed up to 29,000 calories and was drinking up to 12 litres of fizzy drink in a day.

The ex-cab driver was said to have shed 20 stone back in April 2012 as he prepared to marry his then-fiancee Debbie Kirby.

But in recent years Barry, from Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, was said to be struggling with breathing issues and infections as reported by The Mirror.

His partner’s heartbroken daughter Dannie Nina Louise paid tribute to him on Facebook. She said:

Absolutely heartbroken is the only word I can say how I feel right about now rest in paradise to the big man of my life my dad Barry Grizzly Austin. I loved u like u was and its how we treated one another you was the kinda dad that was always there no matter what.. we had our ups and downs but can honestly say I never loved u any different either way it’s gonna be hard to deal with u no longer being around…to see my mom the way she is horrible the whole family is just crumbled.

After having a gastric balloon fitted the Birmingham City supporter believed his weight had dropped to 40 stone in 2012, losing his once title as Britain’s Fattest Man.

However, even with the drastic weight loss, Barry was still reported to be suffering from serious problems with his legs and a growth which weighed two or three stone in its own right.

Barry was overtaken as Britain’s fattest man by Paul Mason who weighed more than 70 stone.