Gemma Collins has revealed she felt suicidal as her on-off boyfriend James Argent’s battles with drug addiction destroyed their relationship at the end of 2019.
The TOWIE star, 40, sat down for an emotional interview for Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, which aired on ITV on Thursday night, and confessed that when Arg hit rock bottom over Christmas of that year, she considered taking her own life.
As host Piers looked back over her tumultuous romance with James, Gemma was seen shedding years as she said to him: ‘For anyone that ever thinks about taking drugs or trying it for one night, you can end up getting really addicted.
Emotional: Gemma Collins has revealed she felt suicidal as her on-off boyfriend James Argent’s battles with drug addiction destroyed their relationship at the end of 2019
‘I was really happy with James. We did get on, but the drugs changed him as a person. I fought every day for three years to get him well.’
When prompted to discuss her lowest moment throughout their struggles, she admitted: ‘I have felt suicidal… I think when my relationship broke down with Arg, that affected me. I just thought, I don’t wanna be here anymore. I can’t take it.
‘Christmas was an all-time low. I saved his life three times. I had this insatiable love for him. I never wanted to give up on him.’
Elsewhere in her interview, Gemma spoke out about how a celebrity agent told her she had the charisma to make it on TV – but needed to lose two stone first.
Battle: The couple have had an on-off relationship for several years, but Gemma admitted that James Argent’s drug battle truly crippled their romance. Pictured together in 2018
The TV personality discussed how, at the age of 18, she tried to break into the showbiz industry.
Gemma said the agent ‘can eat her words’ as she talked about her rise to fame after Piers unearthed a clip of Gemma as a teenager on an ITV programme called Snobs.
As Piers brought up the footage from the 2000 series, which was about people who think they are a difference class, Gemma asked: ‘How did you get the footage? Throughout my whole career, I’ve always been worried about that first programme.’
Heart-wrenching: The star got emotional as she spoke bout her relationship during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories
The host, 55, said: ‘You went to a TV agent to see if they would take you on. Do you remember what they said to you?’
When Gemma replied ‘no’, Piers told her: ‘She said that you “had the charisma but you were too fat to be on TV” and suggested you lose two stone.’
Harsh: Gemma also spoke out about how a celebrity agent told her she had the charisma to make it on TV, but needed to lose two stone first
Career: In Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, which will air on ITV on Thursday, the TOWIE star, 40, discussed how at the age of 18 she tried to break into the showbiz industry
Throwback: Gemma said the agent ‘can eat her words’ as she talked about her rise to fame after Piers unearthed a clip of Gemma as a teenager on an ITV programme called Snobs
First TV appearance: As Piers brought up the footage from the 2000 series, which was about people who think they are a difference class, Gemma asked: ‘How did you get the footage?’
Cruel: Piers told Gemma her agent said you “had the charisma but you were too fat to be on TV” and suggested you lose two stone’
Gemma said ‘charming’ but defiantly told Piers: ‘Look where I am now honey? Yeah, well she can eat her words now.
‘But I never gave up and I think people admire that about me. Yeah, I have not been blessed with, you know, a Victoria’s Secret’s body but it’s my body and I love it. I am what I am.’
Speaking about the show Snobs, Gemma said: ‘How the producers put it to me was, “Look we’re going to need you for seven weeks. Basically, at the end of seven weeks we’ll give it a review.”
‘So I thought, “right I’ve got seven weeks to make sure that I never, ever turn backwards” and at the end of the show that was it, signed, sealed and delivered.’
The GC: Gemma said ‘charming’ but defiantly told Piers: ‘Look where I am now honey? Yeah, well she can eat her words now’
Piers told Gemma about how her first TV appearance gained her around 3,000 new Twitter followers, and went on to question the reality star about the abuse she received for starring on the show.
‘It was hard; I’m not gonna lie, it was hard,’ she said. ‘There were times when fans would get online and say we hate you. I think one said, “get in your car and go and have a car crash. I wish you was dead.”
‘You have to get a very thick skin and I think that’s where the GC was created as well.
Tough cookie: ‘You have to get a very thick skin and I think that’s where the GC was created as well,’ Gemma said
‘There is no way, if you didn’t have a thick skin—and you will know this [Piers], that you will survive in this industry. It’s not for everyone I’ve been able to cope with it but there’s a lot of people I know that haven’t and it can ruin your life.’
Gemma eventually got her big break when she appeared on the 2011 series of TOWIE.
At the time she was a car dealer but quickly found that her theatrical presence on the show made way for a number of dramatic storylines.
Thanks to her fame on the reality TV show, Gemma has made millions thanks to a successful business selling plus size clothing as well as appearances on Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity, and her own show Diva Forever.
Character: Gemma eventually got her big break when she appeared on the 2011 series of TOWIE (pictured in 2014)