Gemma Collins takes a trip down memory lane in tonight’s I’m A Celebrity South Africa as she opens up about how she first found fame on TOWIE.
Chatting to campmate Adam Thomas, Gemma reflects on her time on the ITVBe reality show and insists she has no regrets about signing up.
In fact, she credits the series with giving her a huge boost in life.
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“I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Gemma tells Adam. “It gave me a massive leg up in life.
“I would have done well anyway, I was really good at selling cars… I was a car sales girl at BMW.”
But when exactly did Gemma appear on TOWIE, and why did she walk away for good?
When was Gemma Collins on TOWIE?
Gemma, 45, joined The Only Way Is Essex back in 2011 after being approached by producers.
She landed the opportunity thanks to Julie Childs, mum of TOWIE star Amy Childs, who tipped bosses off about her.
At the time, Gemma worked at a BMW garage in Harold Wood, East London. After a short trial on camera, she briefly returned to her job before securing a full time role on the show.
Taking a huge gamble, Gemma quit her job to pursue reality TV, despite earning far less money at first.
“We all got paid £50 in the day but it all turned out good. I’m still living here to tell the tale,” she later said.
“I knew I was going to be able to have a good life off the back of taking a massive risk.”
Gemma quickly became a fan favourite. Her first scene saw her take Kirk Norcross for a test drive, before she began socialising with Amy and Harry Derbidge.
It was not long before she crowned herself The G.C.
Viewers watched her rollercoaster relationship with James ‘Arg’ Argent play out on screen.
Fans will remember her iconic Marbella moment when she slapped her bottom and told him: “You ain’t never going to get this candy!”
She also dated Charlie King during her time on the show and later got together with her now fiancé, Rami Hawash, on camera.
Gemma found herself at the centre of plenty of drama too, clashing with her best pal Bobby Norris as well as Lauren Pope and Vas J Morgan.
Why did Gemma Collins leave TOWIE?
Gemma announced she was quitting TOWIE in August 2015 after four years on the show.
She officially stepped back after series 15, although she returned for the Christmas special later that year.
Over the next few years, she made occasional appearances before deciding to leave for good in 2019.
By then, she had appeared in 280 episodes.
Gemma has admitted she struggled with abuse on social media during her time on the show.
However, her main reason for leaving was to focus on new opportunities.
By 2019, she had become one of the biggest names to come out of TOWIE and had other projects lined up, including her own series Gemma Collins: Diva Forever.
She no longer needed the show.
“I love The Only Way Is Essex. I wish them all well, but no, I won’t do it again, I’ve moved on,” she said at the time.
“Honey, I’ve got Valentino dressing me now. Do they really need to see me back down Brentwood High Street?”
Is Gemma ‘banned’ from returning to TOWIE?
Gemma has since revealed she has effectively been “banned” from going back to TOWIE – but not by ITV.
Instead, she says her own agent has warned her against ever returning.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without that show and I’ll be forever grateful,” she said in 2024.
“However, my agent has told me if I ever step back on that show it would be a career disaster.
“I have to take my agent’s advice on some things. I don’t know why he thinks that.”
Read more: I’m A Celebrity star Gemma Collins reveals exactly how much weight she lost in South Africa