Gemma Collins and James Argent reunite for the first time in FIVE years after bitter break up

GEMMA Collins and James Argent have reunited for the first time in five years after their bitter break up.

The passionate couple’s relationship came to an explosive end in 2020 – nine years after meeting on Towie back in 2011.

However, James and Gemma enjoyed a cosy reunion at Winter Wonderland’s VIP area in London‘s Hyde Park on Thursday night. 

The pair were seen relaxed and smiling as they caught up alongside a group of friends at the festive event.

Gemma, 44, looked stunning in a burgundy trouser suit with her long blonde locks in tumbling waves cascading down her back.

And slimmed down Arg, 37, looked stylish in a cream jumper and slacks. 

The couple’s past relationship had soaring highs and devastating lows.

Early on in 2012, Arg was pictured leaving Essex nightspot Faces with best pal and Towie co-star Mark Wright with two girls.

After seeing the snap, Gemma called him out on Twitter, saying: “You slept with someone else last night you disgust me you cheat”, before quickly deleting her message.

They were pictured back together the next day.

A few months later, their fiery relationship came to a very public end while on holiday in Marbella with pals when Gemma found out he had been talking about her behind her back.

 It led to Gemma saying her famous line in front of stunned Towie stars.

Dressed in a black swimsuit at a pool party, Gemma told Arg: “You’ve been going around discussing what happened between us.

“Well let me tell you something now, you don’t ever disrespect a girl like that again. Take a good look at this, you ain’t ever gonna get this candy!”

She then slapped her bottom and ended things with her lover.

Gemma went on to date boyfriends Alexander Moss, Sebastian Marc Graham and Stephen Mortimer over the next four years before starting up her relationship with Arg once again.

The Towie Christmas special saw Arg declare his love for Gemma in 2017 after years of cat and mouse.

In a heartfelt speech that he proudly delivered in front of the entire Towie cast he said he was the “happiest” he had ever been.

It looked to be the happy ending Gemma had always dreamed of.

Despite a few wobbles, the pair lasted just over a year until their next break up.

In February 2019 they split up once again – and it lasted nine months.

It all kicked off when James shared a video in which Gemma was asleep and snoring.

It was deleted from Instagram an hour later, but for Gemma the damage was done.

In the wake of the snoring video Arg sent “vile” messages to the famous reality star saying: “You are a fat joke of a woman. An absolute car crash! You’re nearly 40 f***ing years old, you embarrassment.”

After asking him to leave her home, Arg retaliated by writing: “You fat horrible lump. Nasty mean woman.

“Who the f*** do you think you are? You’ve got more rolls than Greggs.”

They moved on from the fight and reunited but by October it was all over again when Gemma dumped Arg after he refused rehab.

It came after The Sun on Sunday revealed she rang 999 after he failed to return calls for more than 12 hours, sparking fears he had overdosed.

Cops eventually had to break into his £1.3million five-bed house in South Woodford, North East London.

Celebrating their rekindled romance a month later, they jetted off on a romantic getaway to Dubai.

But Arg suffered another tough time over Christmas. He later admitted his cocaine addiction made him hate Gemma.

In July 2020, the reality TV stars’ furious texts were revealed as their on/off relationship came to an explosive end.

Private messages posted between the pair were posted on Gemma’s Instagram page.

It showed Arg cruelly brand her “a hippo” and a “fat f***” in a bitter war of words. The posts have since been deleted.

Sources say their argument kicked off when Arg said he was inspired to have an open relationship following claims US actor Will Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith had been intimate with other people during their marriage.

Gemma later posted on Instagram urging her followers to “find the strength to walk away” as she shared the “Top 10 Signs of Emotional Abuse In A Relationship”.

But in 2021, after rehab and getting gastric sleeve surgery, Arg publicly expressed regret for how he had treated Gemma.

He told The Sun: “Anything negative I’ve said about anyone I deeply regret and I apologise for. A lot of the time, when you say negative things about other people, you’re really saying it about yourself. It’s self-hatred.”

He also added that she was pivotal in his recovery.

Meanwhile, Gemma is now happily engaged to her long-time love Rami Hawash.

She is looking to wed in 2026 and wants a woodland ceremony inspired by her love of Maleficent.