She’s one of the most charismatic personalities in showbiz, and the popularity of her diva alter-ego “The GC” has helped her build a multimillion- pound fortune.
But following her boyfriend’s recent devastating accident – which could leave him blind in one eye – Gemma Collins is now considering whether to turn away from her feisty showbiz persona.
While the former TOWIE star’s social media is usually littered with glamorous selfies and sassy captions, Gemma posted a more sensitive post of a photo of her with Rami Hawash, 48, wearing an eye patch. She wrote alongside it, “Guys just before I left for my tour Rami had a very serious accident on his eye and nose at work. He needs an operation it’s been a really weird week... Poor Rami as soon as his operation is done I will be able to relax properly then.” She later added that she had felt “scared” and “worried” about him.
The reality star – who last week denied they were engaged despite regularly wearing a sparkler on her engagement ring finger – has been Rami’s main carer since the mechanic had the accident at work.
Gemma – who first met Rami in 2011 and then rekindled their romance in early 2021 – revealed last week that she was planning on taking a six-month break from the limelight, after filming for her latest ad campaign deal with Walkers Crisps, saying she wanted to “spend time with Rami and make a baby.”
Shying away from the spotlight is a far cry from her GC persona that saw her have an epic tantrum on Celebrity Big Brother over a lack of hair straighteners, while on her reality show Gemma Collins: Diva Forever, she was seen turning up four hours late to a photo shoot and demanding people bring her food.
But she has always insisted that she has two sides – one being the high maintenance GC, with the other a sensitive soul. She told Closer in 2018, “The GC isn’t a real person – the real Gemma is sensitive and vulnerable.”
Now insiders say that Rami’s potentially life-changing accident has made Gemma realise that she wants to shun The GC for good.
A source says, “Rami’s health scare hit Gemma really hard – she’s been beside herself. It’s been rough, and she’s been really focusing on making sure Rami’s OK. She’s taken a lot of time off work to make sure she’s there to support him, dropping him off at appointments. She’s taking amazing care of him. He’s told her how much he appreciates her and it’s definitely made them stronger as a couple.
“Gemma feels quite proud of herself. She’s told friends she’s learned a lot about herself and says she prefers this side of her character to The GC.”
Since finding fame on TOWIE back in 2011, she has since starred on CBB, I’m A Celeb!, Celebs Go Dating and her own reality show. But recently, her BBC documentary Self Harm And Mesaw her open up about her mental health struggles in her younger years, winning her praise from viewers, with fans saying it was refreshing to see her softer side.
And while she appears to be stepping back from TV for now, insiders say Gemma, 41, would like to do another issue-based show – perhaps opening up about Rami’s accident and how they’ve coped with it, rather than focusing on her showbiz lifestyle.
The source adds, “Although Gem’s turning her back on TV at the moment, she is planning to eventually open up about what happened. The last few months have really underlined what’s important to her – and that’s Rami, their special relationship and their health.
“It’s a side to Gemma people rarely see. Whenever she’s out in public everybody expects her to be The GC and be brash and loud. But that’s not who she is. She’s starting to think that when she does return to TV, she wants to go in a different direction.”
Rami’s health scare has also reinforced Gemma’s desire to prioritise starting a family. Last week, she said in an interview that she’s planning time off after a series of work commitments, saying “We are getting to that point where
we need to concentrate on having a baby. I really want to just rest after August and spend time with Rami and make the baby. I’ve given myself a six-month window.”
The source adds, “Gem’s big wish is to start a family with Rami. She’s always wanted kids and knows he’ll be a brilliant dad, just like he is with Tristan [his four-year-old son from a past relationship].
“The last few months have been tough, but it’s made her realise he is the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Gemma hasn’t always had the best of luck with blokes. Her on/off relationship with Arg [James Argent, who she split from in 2020] became a soap opera. But her luck changed when she rekindled things with Rami. She’s looking forward to her future with him.”