'Too fat to work' Steve has job interview lined up at a nursing home

The benefits scroungers who caused outrage by saying they were 'too fat to work' have finally got up off the sofa.

Morbidly-obese Steve Beer and his wife Michelle, who had their £3,000 wedding funded by the taxpayer, have lost 13 stone between them by going to an intensive weight-loss boot camp.

Speaking to The Sunday Mirror, Steve, 45, who lives with his 43-year-old partner in a one-bedroom flat in Plymouth, said their trimmer figures mean they have finally been able to consummate their marriage - a year after they made their vows.

Morbidly-obese Steve Beer and his wife Michelle have lost 13 stone between them by going to intensive weight-loss boot camp, Fat-Off-Fit-In

'When you're so big your love life goes out of the window - you can't even make love,' he told the tabloid newspaper.

'But since we've lost weight we've done it for the first time in well over a year. I feel sorry for the caravan floor! '

Since January, the controversial couple, who previously weighed a combined 55 stone, have been working out six days a week with Fat-Off-Fit-On fitness gurus Paul Saunders and Mel Loader at their camp in East Sussex.

The formerly bone idle pair are hoping to turn their lives around and have ditched their £15-a-day kebab habit in favour of healthy home-cooked meals.

At his heaviest, 5ft 5in Steve, who has five failed marriages (to Eileen, Alison, Margaret, Fiona and Lynn) and is father to six children, weighed 32st.

While 4ft 11in mother-of-seven Michelle was 23st.

Plump pair Michelle and Steve Beer became national hate figures earlier this year after appearing on Channel 5 documentary 'Too Fat To Work'

Five months later - while they aren't yet shadows of their former selves - their fat-fighting mission is going in the right direction.

Ladies man Steve has lost 8st 1lb and weighs 23st 9lbs while Michelle has shed 5st 4lbs and weighs 18st 2lbs.

Shedding the unwanted pounds hasn't been easy and Steve told the newspaper that he 'cries every day' and has had to be dragged 'kicking and screaming to the gym'.

However, seeing his waistband loosen up and his skin become brighter has helped him to persevere with the challenge.

Since January, the controversial couple, who weighed a combined 55 stone, have been working out for six days a week with fitness guru Paul Saunders at his training camp in East Sussex

The plump pair became national hate figures earlier this year after appearing on Channel 5 documentary 'Too Fat To Work'.

On the programme they they revealed that, between them, they receive £2,000 a month from the state - a combination of Disability Living Allowance, Jobseeker's Allowance and other entitlements.

They used their benefit money to pay for a £3,000 wedding - much to the outrage of hard-working Brits.

While Steve told The Sunday Mirror he understands 'why everyone was against us in the beginning' he wants people to forget about that now and focus on the future.

Ladies man Steve admitted that he cries when he looks at how large he is in his wedding pictures

Their next target is getting back to work.

Steve said they are no longer 'sitting at home on our backsides' and they don't want to 'scrounge off the Government' any more .

He has a job interview lined up to be a carer in a nursing home while Michelle said she also wants to work.

Health-conscious Steve said they are no longer 'sitting at home on our backsides' and they don't want to 'scrounge off the Government'

Although they have both stopped taking medication for a string of obesity-related illnesses - including blood pressure medication, antidepressants and tablets for type 2 diabetes - they still have a long way to go.

Health conscious Steve added that if it wasn't for boot camp he would be 'dead by now' and he plans to lose '12 more stone'.

He admitted that he 'cries' when he looks at how large he is in his wedding pictures.

Steve, who previously needed a carer to do simple tasks such as wash him, added that they are 'grateful' for the help and they are not in 'denial' about their problems any more

The pair can now enjoy normal things like theatre trips, sitting in a car with a belt on and walks around Hastings.

They are planning on moving there from their home in Plymouth for a fresh start.

Steve, who previously enlisted the help of a state-funded carer to do simple tasks such as wash him, added that they are 'grateful' for the help they have received.

DIET BEFORE Breakfast: Full English fry-up Snacks: Cornish pasty, chocolates, biscuits and crisps Lunch: Fish and chips Dinner: Two kebabs and chips Drinks: Four lager shandy Total: 10,000 calories per day Advertisement