She started following her “ex again on Instagram last week – almost four years after their bitter split following a tumultuous romance.
And Lauren Goodger, 33 – who recently joked she’d be “pregnant in a week” if she had a boyfriend to isolate with – has told pals she’s keen to reunite with Jake McLean, after reconnecting with the former jailbird.
A source says, “Being stuck at home is making Lauren stir crazy – she’s bored and has been feeling nostalgic. She started following Jake in a bid to get his attention and see if they might spark something again. They’re back in touch, although they’re already having little spats – she’ll suddenly blank him, then they’ll flirt again and reconnect. It’s all a bit playschool, but that’s the dynamic they share.”
The pair first began dating in 2012, and were on/off before finally calling it a day in the summer of 2016, with the former TOWIE star admitting she was relieved it had ended.
But the unlucky-in-love star, who Closer recently revealed had hit dating apps as she re-evaluates her life, has struggled to find happiness. Towards the end of last year Lauren revealed she had been hospitalised – something she later attributed to her struggle with anxiety and panic attacks – and insiders say Jake reached out to her.
The source says, “Lauren was touched he went to the effort to check on her and it’s evoked good memories of their time together, which spurred her on to reconnect.
CHECK OUT Lauren Goodger's relationship timeline
Lauren Goodger boyfriends - where are they now SLIDER
1 of 8Mark Wright
Lauren dated childhood sweetheart Mark for 12 years - with nearly two years of their rocky romance aired on TOWIE. Lauren was so committed, she even had Mark's name tattooed on her bikini line. But in one dramatic episode in 2011, Lauren decided to have it lasered off whilst the couple were on a break - much to her suprise, Mark made a marriage proposal on the same day. The on/off pair split for good after just five months of being engaged.
2 of 8Mark Wright
Mark is now married to former Coronation Streetstar Michelle Keegan. The pair tied the knot in 2015, but have since juggled their marriage with work commitments whilst Michelle has travelled abroad for BBC drama Our Girl and Mark has taken on the showbiz world in America.
3 of 8Jake McLean
Lauren dated Jake McLean on and off from 2012 to 2016 - during which, Lauren had Jake's name tattooed on her wrist. But once the pair had parted ways for good, Lauren branded their romance 'toxic.' Following their split, Lauren said: "'I don't mean to sound horrible but I'm relieved it's over."
4 of 8Jake McLean
Following his time in the limelight with Lauren during their two year romance, Jake has now gone under the radar.
5 of 8Joey Morrison
Lauren raised eyebrows in September 2016 when she first started dating Joey, 33, while he was still in prison for a string of violent drugs-related charges. Defending their romance on Channel 5's In Therapy while they were still together, Lauren said, "This is the weirdest relationship ever, but it's exciting and I think that's why I like it. A bad boy never cheats, a bad boy is very loyal. They're strong family men, they've just got a bit of a naughty side to them." Opting for a tattoo hat-trick, Lauren also got Joey's name inked, once Jake's had been removed. The pair were together for two and a half years before they broke up in 2018.
6 of 8Joey Morrison
Joey was released from prison in September 2018, after serving half of his 16 year sentence. Enjoying his new-found freedom, he went onto social media to promote his luxurious lifestyle post-prison. Although Lauren and Joey have officially broken up, fans have spotted Joey featuring in Lauren's stories on Instagram on several occasions.
7 of 8Ricci Guarnaccio
Lauren and Ricci appeared on Celebrity Big Brother together, where he confessed to falling for her. But sadly for the Geordie lad, Lauren was adamant nothing would happen between them. Yet, despite the TOWIE star telling Vicky Pattison's ex that they would only ever "just be friends", the pair were inseparable at the post-eviction party. They were seen kissing and cuddling before heading back to their hotel together at 4am.
8 of 8Ricci Guarnaccio
After his time on Geordie Shore, Celebrity Big Brother and Ex on the Beach, Ricci has taken a step back from TV. Nowadays he uses his social media to plug teeth whitening brands and holidays. And it looks like TV isn't the only thing Ricci is steering clear of - in 2018, the Geordie star told Star magazine "I'm happily single. Women are evil. God put them on this earth to hurt us!"
“They got back in touch, which has led to them FaceTiming. Lauren says she’s been getting stomach flutters every time she sees his name ping up on her phone. They’re still in the early stages of speaking again, but the old feelings are still there. She can’t wait until the isolation is over so they can see each other again.”
Lauren was reportedly hurt to learn close pal and co-star Yazmin Oukhellou, 25, had enjoyed a brief fling with Jake, who was jailed for his part in an armed raid on a family just two days before Christmas in 2006.
Meanwhile, despite being slammed in July for promoting a webcam business to fans, last week Lauren shared another recruitment ad on Instagram, encouraging women to sign up to “webcam modelling agency” The London Gems while they were on lockdown at home.
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The star – who tragically suffered a miscarriage during their romance– had been adamant a reunion with Jake wasn’t on the cards, but pals say the reconciliation has sparked a change of heart.
The source adds, “Jake’s been talking about the changes he’s made to his life and has indicated he’s looking to settle down.
“Lauren’s always regretted how things ended and has convinced herself Jake coming back into her life is a sign.
“She’s saying she doesn’t want to waste any time – and would love to be pregnant by her 34th birthday in September.”
Read more in this week's Closer magazine, out now. Get your issue delivered straight to your door from here__.