The GC: DIVA ON ICE
You can take the diva out of Essex, but you can’t keep the diva off the ice rink
She’s done pretty much every reality show going, but when Gemma Collins signed up to Dancing On Ice, we were kind of surprised. And it seems the production team behind the ice-skating competition were also in for a shock, because the TOWIE star soon started making some serious demands.
“The show hasn’t even started filming yet, but that hasn’t stopped Gemma living up to her reputation,” we’re told. “She has given producers a list of the things she wants, including a bigger dressing room than all the other celebs, and her own kitchen, so she can eat healthily and not be tempted by the cafeteria food. Gemma is also after her own personal buggy to drive her around the studios, because she wants to conserve all her energy for skating.”
The 37 year old is already said to have dropped a dress size, thanks to the training, and she hopes to drop more weight “ready for my wedding dress”, the star herself reveals. Our source continues, “Gemma’s heard that the contestants are offered big trays of doughnuts backstage to give them all an energy boost. She wants that banned, so she’s not tempted at all.”
And the diva attitude doesn’t stop there – she is a busy woman, after all. We’re told, “Gemma has tried to implement a few of her own rules, but the producers have been pushing back, because they’re worried her demands will only get worse as the show goes on.”
The insider says one such rule is, “She wants to minimise the time she spends with the rest of the celebs, as she’s got so many other projects on the go – she isn’t interested in bonding with any of them. Plus, she’ll have Arg with her at all times.”
Boyfriend James “Arg” Argent seems to be the only cheerleader she needs, with Gemma recently saying, “Training is all good – Arg has been really supportive. Everyone is saying whatever about me, but I’m going to come out and smash it. I’m doing really well. Watch this space…
Am I in it to win it? I’m The GC, baby – anything can happen, you never know.” While we may have normally taken that sort of confidence with a pinch of salt – see Gemma’s performance on Splash!, circa 2014 – we have actual evidence that she’s taken to ice skating like a duck to, well, frozen water. Keen skater and celeb photographer Nicky Johnston spotted The GC at a recent practise session and told heat, “She’s looking really good on the ice – like a natural skater. People aren’t expecting her to do that well, but I think she’s really going to surprise everyone.” ■