GEMMA: ‘I WANT TO QUIT THE GC’
She’s had enough of playing the UK’S ultimate diva
All the great divas have a larger-thanlife alter ego: think Beyoncé and Sasha Fierce, Mariah Carey and Mimi, and Christina Aguilera and Xtina. But, according to insiders, the fiercest diva of them all is ready to give her final curtain call. Yes, it’s time to say goodbye to The GC, and hello to the real Gemma Collins.
“Gem doesn’t have the energy to be The GC right now,” says an insider close to the reality star, who’s been through the wringer over the past month, with her dad Alan battling the coronavirus. “With everything she’s going through, she’s finding it hard to put on her showbiz smile for everyone. Taking time out has made her realise how much of a character she has created and she’s had enough of it. She’s really tired and just wants to be herself. Whenever she’s out, people expect her to be firing on all cylinders. But lockdown has given her the space to weigh up what’s really important.”
Last month, Gemma – who recently turned 40 – opened up to her followers about how “tough” it has been, adding that she’s had “one awful time of it”. But lockdown has brought her close to on/off boyfriend James “Arg” Argent, and they’ve decided to give things another go. He’s supported her through this and she’s supporting him through his well-documented drink, drug and eating issues.
But being there for both Arg and her dad – who’s slowly recovering and is now out of hospital – is proving a strain for Gemma –especially as she’s been honest about how much she relies on her dad, even letting him control her finances to stop her splashing the cash. So, it’s no surprise that she’s finding it harder than ever to summon her strength and brave the world as the fearless GC right now. And this has also made Gemma realise that she’s got to start taking her responsibilities as a role model seriously – and she now wants to be a humanitarian, like Sir David Attenborough.
“If these youngsters are looking up at me, I need to do the right thing by them and spread the right word and the right message,” she admitted recently. “I don’t need any more designer handbags or shoes. I’ve just really grown as a person. I think you get to a certain stage in your life – you’ve earned the money, and in the end, you need to look a bit deeper.”
As she says, “There’s more to life than a naked Instagram selfie.”