Gemma and Arg’s binges spark health fears

Gemma Collins and James Argent have made no secret of indulging, but experts fear they risk taking years off their life expectancy

he was S reportedly keen to capitalise on their plus-size figures in a bid to secure a lucrative weightloss deal and boost their fame as a couple.

But last week, Gemma Collins and James “Arg” Argent shocked fans after a PA at a club in Mallorca, with one posting online, “I don’t think they’re a good influence on each other, he must be the biggest he’s ever been.” Another added, “They’re toxic for each other.”

Now experts fear the couple – who have previously revealed their love of comfort eating and “indulging” together – could be seriously risking their health.

BAD CHOICES

A source reveals, “Gemma and Arg have made no secret that they both love food and enjoy takeaways together. Gemma has said she doesn’t mind them being bigger because they could land a weight-loss deal and become even more famous.

“But friends don’t think they should be encouraging each other like this with food and don’t think they make sensible choices with what they eat when they’re together.”

Gemma has been warned about the health risks of her weight before and was previously advised by a doctor to lower her BMI to increase her chances of falling pregnant one day.

Late last year, she revealed, “I do need to lose weight. For my health, I wouldn’t want to be bigger than I am now.”

And Dr Maroof Ahmed says that if the pair were to stay as they are, or were to continue gaining weight, they could risk shortening their lives.

He says, “Being overweight has a number of negative physical and mental impacts on your health. Overweight people are more likely to suffer from serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer, which means they have a reduced life expectancy. Gemma and James both appear overweight so if they continue as they are, they risk shortening their lives. If they have unhealthy food habits, like binge eating, there are ways to address this, such as therapy.”

Gemma, 37, and Arg, 30, have endured a notoriously rocky romance. After first hooking up in 2012, the TOWIE co-stars had a series of ups and downs. They decided to give their on/off romance another go in the Christmas episode last December, but their relationship has always been plagued by arguments and they briefly split again in July.

Arg previously revealed on TOWIE that the pair would argue over the large meals Gemma prepared, telling his co-stars, “She puts about six scrambled eggs on my plate then a big, big, chunk of smoked salmon and I said, ‘Gem, this is lovely, but f*** me, how much smoked salmon do you want to put on my plate?’ She then comes over to my plate, picks up the smoked salmon, opens the window and chucks it out – she’s an absolute nutcase. We’ll then have a row.”

And insiders say Gemma – who recently took part in Celebrity Masterchef – sees food as a way to get her and Arg back on good terms.

The source adds, “Gemma and Arg have now got into the habit of ordering a takeaway after a fiery row as a way to reconcile and unwind. Gemma loves to cook and knows preparing a big meal for Arg is how to get in his good books after a fight.”

Like Gemma – who has yo-yoed between a size 16 and a 22 and is now a size 18-20 – Arg has seen his weight fluctuate over the years.

REHAB

He shed 4st in 2015 after a stint in The Priory for alleged alcohol and drug issues. He regained some of the weight, but shed 3st last year after checking into a rehab centre in Thailand to improve his physical and mental wellbeing. Last month, he revealed he’d entered a rehab programme for “ongoing support” with his previous issues.

Their co-stars have claimed Gemma overfeeds Arg, with James “Lockie” Lock branding her a “feeder” and Tommy Mallett saying, “They shouldn’t be together because all they do when they’re with each other is eat.”

Gemma recently admitted to Closer, “Arg and I fuel each other – we like to indulge”.

The source adds, “Arg has said how much better he feels when he’s eating well and working out. His friends know Gemma wants the best for Arg and loves cooking for him, but they think he needs to focus on his health and happiness and learn to be more balanced with food.”

❛THEY ORDER A TAKEAWAY AFTER A FIERY ROW AS A WAY TO RECONCILE & UNWIND❜