From an on-off love story to her weight loss struggle, Gemma Collins, an English TV personality and businesswoman has always been in the media attention. The Only Way To Essex star rekindled her romance with her ex-fiance Rami Hawash in 2021 and now plans to start a family, having faced heartbreaking miscarriages twice.
The then-used car dealer turned a TV figure, the London, England-born wows fans with her weight loss journey yet she is not far away from controversy for 'skinny jabs' and hypnotherapy to shed more weight. What else is there to know about the Diva Forever star? Let's know.
What Is Gemma Collins' Age And Height? Family & Nationality?
Born on January 31, 1981, in Romford, East London, England, Collins is an English by nationality. The youngest of 2 children to Joan Collins and Alan Collins (who worked in a shipping company), Gemma has an elder brother named Russell.
An Aquarius by birth, the 5 feet 9 inches tall TV figure is 40 years old as of 2021.
TOWIE Star Made TV Debut At 30- What Did She Do Before That?
With avid family support to her interest in acting and performing arts, she enrolled at London-based Sylvia Young Theatre School. Moreover, Collins attended Frances Bardsley Academy and Raphael Independent School.
But it was until the grey-eyed blond turned 30 when she made her TV debut through The Only Way Is Essex in 2011. Before TV prominence, Gemma Collins worked as a used car salesperson.
The British TV figure was cast in TOWIE after Julie Childs, mother of Gemma's school friend, and TOWIE co-star Amy Childs suggested the producers.
Initially, she (a car saleswoman) was a love interest for Mick Norcross when introduced but shortly after, ended up being a prominent lead cast; worked until from 2011 to 2019.
CAPTION: TOWIE star Gemma Collins made her TV debut through the reality show in 2011; before she worked as a car saleswoman SOURCE: Instagram@gemmacollins Aside from that, she worked in many reality TV shows including I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! (2014), Celebrity Big Brother (2015), and Celebs Go Dating (2018).
By 2019, the author of Basically... My Life As An Essex Girl ran her own reality franchise, Gemma Collins: Diva (2019), and later in Gemma Collins: Diva Forever and Ever (2020).
The frequent guest-cast of This Morning competed in Series 11 of Dancing On Ice in 2019, but she and her pro-skater partner Matt Evers were the 5th to get eliminated. James Jordan along with his partner Alexandra Schauman became the winners.
Diagnosis With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Caused Weight Loss Struggle
The TOWIE star had a very slim twenties but after a shocking diagnosis with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), she saw difficulty to lose weight. It is a hormonal condition that causes missed or irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne, infertility, and weight gain.
Back in 2013, in her autobiography Basically... My Life As An Essex Girl, she admitted that 'every time she felt an emotion, she would eat to block it.'
After gaining weight, Gemma saw taunts on her physical appearance but smiled through those. Even more, she opted for strict diets to shed weight. Back in 2011, to make her debut in TOWIE, she lost three stones at a weight loss Bootcamp.
CAPTION: TV personality Gemma Collins is diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome that struggles her to lose weight SOURCE: Instagram@gemmacollins Reportedly, at one point, the TV personality saw a disgraceful comment from companies, telling her "You're too fat to promote my brand." But, the English businesswoman and reality star has stood up to shut down voices of body shaming.
For sure, no one has the right to pass negative comments without any knowledge of one's personal life.
While she has become the inspiration of many, the Diva Forever star also barely stops amazing fans with her transformations. In July 2021, Collins reportedly had lost four stone with workouts and diets in few months and proudly flaunted her shrinking waist.
Controversial 'Skinny Jabs' Treatment
Neverthless, as we mentioned before, the Celebrity Big Brother cast did saw some controversies after the inclusion of 'skinny jabs' as her new weight loss plan. Many commented she was promoting those, which carries many health risks.
Curious what is 'skinny jabs'? Well, it is an injection treatment that acts as an appetite suppressant and reportedly, costs up to £350 for a four-week program.
Moreover, she follows a £5,000-a-week 'juice camp' along with brutal diets to slim her body. Also, she once tried hypnotherapy for weight loss; hypnotized into believing she had a gastric band.
Did you know? While competing on Dancing On Ice, she lost around 1,000 calories per session.
Who Is Gemma Collins Dating? Boyfriend? Kids?
The Sylvia Young Theatre School is currently in a relationship with her on-off boyfriend Rami Hawash. They rekindled their romance for the second time, after a failed brief connection in 2017.
Reportedly, the duo began dating in 2011 and even more got engaged in 2013, a year before they broke up in 2014. Speaking of their engagement after the split, Collins stated that she "was not ready for that, but didn't have guts to say 'No'".
But in April 2021, they confirmed that they were together again and were dating for more than 6 months after Gemma broke up with her then-boyfriend James Argent. Even more, the couple had a luxury vacation, living in a £1035-a-night hotel room in Cornwall.
Her boyfriend Rami has a 3-year old son Tristan.
CAPTION: Gemma Collins is dating her on-off boyfriend Rami Hawash; they reunited in late 2020 having split in 2014 and then in 2017 SOURCE: Instagram@gemmacollins Even more, the TOWIE star added that after a secret miscarriage in the midst of lockdown, she was ready to settle with a family with her beau James.
Back in 2017, Gemma was in a relationship with James Argent, whom she had known since the latter dated Lydia Bright and broke up in 2012. Collins and Argent thought their sweet romance was a happily ever after, but it turned into a rocky relationship, after James' struggling addiction with drugs destroyed all.
Online sources report that she has been in brief relationships with Jonathan Clark, Sebastian Marc Graham, Alexander Moss, JJ Goodman, and Charlie King.
Net Worth And Earnings
Aside from being a TV personality, Gemma Collins runs a business of her own, a fashion line Gemma Collins Collection. Moreover, she launched a plus-size fashion range Curve with retailer Boohoo in 2019.
As per Capital Fm, the reality star currently in her 40s has a net worth of £2.7 million ($3.7 million) as of 2021.
It's obvious that a massive chunk of fortune came through her career with The Only Way Is Essex, where casts get £100 per day for filming. Moreover, she worked in other TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! , and Diva Forever.
With a massive 2.2 million followers on her Instagram, the TOWIE personality collects a hefty sum through endorsements as well. Reportedly, in an episode of Piers Morgan Life Stories, she mentioned that she made £75,000 for an Instagram post for Black Friday- the highest-ever Collins made.
As per Influencer Marking Hub, Gemma Collins can earn $4,451- $7,418 per sponsored post. She promotes Booby Tape, LUX SKIN, Durex, Look FANTASTIC, and many others on her Instagram.