‘That’s the downside of fame’: Gemma Collins breaks down in tears over ‘terrifying’ death threats in first look at her Piers Morgan’s Life Stories episode
Gemma Collins breaks down in tears as she reflects on the death threats she receives during a new edition of Piers Morgan‘s Life Stories.
In a first look at the show, the TOWIE star, 40 – whose episode is set to air on Thursday – describes trolling as ‘the downside of fame’ but insists she’s now ‘a lot more comfortable now in my own skin.’
The media personality was supported by presenter Piers, 55, who called for the end of ‘vile’ online abuse during Monday’s Good Morning Britain.
Candid: Gemma Collins breaks down in tears as she reflects on the death threats she receives during a new edition of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories
In the short clip, her former TOWIE co-star Joey Essex reads out a horrific tweet about the businesswoman, which states: ‘You’re so fat, die’.
Reality star Joey, 30, explains: ‘That really brought her confidence down. Getting death threats isn’t a joke. It’s not just abuse, it’s terrifying.’
The influencer is overwhelmed with emotion as she tells Piers: ‘That was hard to watch. You don’t forget it but that’s the downside of fame.’
As the clip debuted on GMB, broadcaster Piers defended his decision over interviewing Gemma.
Upcoming: In a first look at the show, the TOWIE star, 40, describes trolling as ‘the downside of fame’ but insists she’s now ‘a lot more comfortable now in my own skin’
The journalist said: ‘I talk about the trolling she’s got and whether you love her or hate her – she’s got two million fans on social media who love her and she’s got other people who can’t stand her.
‘She’s a reality TV star who plays up to her character much like Katie Price. Whether you do or not, no one should have to put up with people on Twitter, spewing the kind of vile abuse and death threats that they have been spewing at Gemma Collins.
‘The moment I announced it on Twitter, out it poured, people saying ”I hope you die”, literally. It’s more than that, this is a malevolent thing in our culture, our society now, there’s no regulation.’
‘It has no place in public discourse’: The media personality was supported by presenter Piers, 55, who called for the end of ‘vile’ online abuse during Monday’s Good Morning Britain
The host also hit out at the ‘morons’ who sent Gemma death threats as he added: ‘If a newspaper did that or if we did that today, if we spent the next five minutes wishing people dead, we’d be taken off air.
‘Literally, Ofcom would intervene and we’d be taken off air. But nothing happens on Twitter to these morons who abuse footballers and even Captain Tom [Moore] got it and then Gemma Collins – alright, a more divisive, polarising figure…
‘But she shouldn’t have to have people wishing her dead on a public platform with no repercussions for people that do that. What do we do about these people who are little eggheads or smiley faces these days, or accountants with five or six numbers after their names?
‘Who’s organising this because it orchestrated? Who are the bosses behind this? ‘This kind of ”I want you dead” stuff has no place in public discourse.’
On the discussion, a source told The Sun late last year: ‘It was an emotional rollercoaster.
‘Gemma opened up to him about deeply personal subjects, including how toxic her relationship with Arg had become and some exes who were abusive to her. It was a cathartic experience, though, and she’s proud of how far she’s come.’
‘Deeply personal’: Last year, a source revealed the self-proclaimed diva will discuss her toxic relationship with James Argent and her ‘self-made millionaire status’ (pictured in 2019)