Gemma:

As TOWIE star Gemma Collins finally embraces her body, she tells pals she’s ready to find The One

“I’ll find love again with my sexy curves”

She has suffered a welldocumented battle with her weight, previously admitting that she was desperate to “hide away” because of cruel fat-shaming jibes that were hurled at her in the street, and attributing her body struggle to being single, telling Closer, “If I was slimmer, I’d go on more dates.”

REUNION

But Gemma Collins appeared to have performed a dramatic U-turn last week, when she was pictured proudly flaunting her size 20 curves in a sheer swimsuit while on holiday in Tenerife. And insiders say she’s finally learning to love her body since getting back in touch with her ex Stephen Mortimer.

A source says, “Gemma’s been on a mission to sex-up her image since Stephen came back on the scene. He told her he loves her confidence and it’s given Gem a massive boost. She’s given up the strict diets and harsh fitness regimes, as she found they just made her binge more. She feels like she’s trimmer now anyway, as she’s finally not obsessing about what she puts in her body.”

Gemma split from Stephen after six months in 2015 amid allegations he’d been unfaithful. Last week, she denied claims they were an item, insisting she is, “100 per cent single and happy.” However, the pair have been seen on a number of dates since his release from prison last month following a year inside for burglary.

The reality star – who has yo-yoed between a size 14 and a 24, and has endured years of fad diets and extreme bootcamps – has spoken honestly about her struggles with her weight in the past. Earlier this year, she told Closer it was hard filming sun-drenched TOWIE specials alongside her slim cast mates, revealing, “I do get anxiety over my weight. When we film abroad it’s a nightmare for me. You never see me sitting around the pool and I do miss out on a lot of fun.”

CONFIDENCE

But sources say Gemma, who previously admitted to being addicted to “bad men and bad food,” is intent on finding peace with her body once and for all.

The source says, “Gemma started to have sessions with a confidence coach and was doing hypnosis. She’s told friends that she feels so good about herself, she can finally look in the mirror naked and feel sexy rather than feeling like she has to put on an act. She’s convinced this newfound body confidence is the key to finding love again.”

Gemma has endured a string of roller-coaster relationships. In September, she claimed her ex Alex Moss violently beat her the night before she flew out to the I’m A Celeb! jungle in 2014.

She also had an on-off romance with co-star James “Arg” Argent – whom she once described as her “real love” – but was left in tears during a recent episode of the show, when he said he had no feelings for her.

And while friends are wary of her growing closeness to Stephen – who has also spent two years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm – Gemma insists she is happier than ever.

The source says, “Everyone’s concerned about Gemma as she’s been hurt by men in the past, but she says she has her head screwed on and, even if things with Stephen don’t work out, he’s inspired a confidence in her that she didn’t know was there. Gemma is sick of being rejected by guys like Arg, and says she’s finally starting to feel sexy.”

❛SHE’S GIVEN UP THE STRICT DIETS AND HARSH FITNESS REGIMES❜