He admitted to ‘struggling’ on Valentine’s Day earlier this year after being left heartbroken following his split from ex Stella Turian last November. But last week, the only thing former TOWIE favourite James Argent appeared to be battling with was keeping the smile from his face after he was photographed looking seriously smitten on a sea swim in St. Tropez with his new girlfriend, Nicoline Artursson.
Now a source tells Closer that, despite only dating for a brief time, Arg, 36, believes former Miss Sweden Nicoline could be The One, and his friends are already placing bets that he could propose before the end of the year.
The insider says, ‘Everyone is absolutely made up and buzzing for Arg. They all think Nicoline could be The One and bets are on that he will propose at New Year.
‘Arg is treating his beauty queen like a princess and is joking that she could go from Miss Sweden to Mrs Argent if she plays her cards right. He feels like he’s won the dating lottery.’
The steamy snaps – taken during a romantic weekend break to St. Tropez, during which Arg is said to have splashed out on the best hotels for his new love – come 10 months after the Celebrity SAS star split from law student Stella.
At the time, an insider revealed how the pair, who had met at a wedding in Mykonos and dated for just over a year, had mutually agreed to end their romance, adding, ‘Throughout the summer it became increasingly difficult for them to meet up due to their work commitments.’
But now the source says friends are concerned that Arg has fallen head-over-heels in love with Nicoline, 31, and fear he could end up heartbroken again.
'Arg is not just a wedding singer by chance – he’s the world’s biggest romantic. Now he’s loved-up to his eyeballs again, his closest friends are naturally on guard. None of them want to see this go wrong and him end up being hurt. That said, even Lydia [Bright] and Gemma [Collins], both Arg’s exes have given their approval. Nicoline does seem really nice.’
Although it’s unclear where they first met, Nicoline, who now works as a beauty entrepreneur and influencer following her 2011 pageant win, is based in Marbella, where Arg sings regularly at restaurants and weddings. And the source says Arg’s closest friends, including best pal Mark Wright, have already met Nicoline, who graduated with an acting degree from UCLA in LA in 2019.
The insider adds, ‘Mark, Pete Wicks and all of the boys have given their seal of approval. They’re all joking that Arg has finally found his happy ever after and Joey Essex has been asking him for tips!’
Arg’s new relationship also comes just over 10 years since his 2013 engagement to ex Gemma Collins. The former co-stars finally split in 2020 when their on/off romance, which saw Gemma tragically miscarry a pregnancy, turned toxic. But the source says the pair are now on good terms, with Gemma – who got engaged to fiancé Rami Hawash in February – even offering to plan the wedding.
‘Gemma is joking about being their wedding planner. They’ve put the past firmly behind them and are really happy for each other,’ the source continues.
Following their split, Arg also bravely opened up about his battle with cocaine and alcohol addiction, which eventually saw him check into rehab in 2020 when he described himself as having been on ‘death row’ following an overdose. The reality TV favourite also lost 14 stone in weight after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery in 2021 and focusing on his health.
Despite suffering a ‘blip’ in his recovery at the start of 2022, which saw him check into a rehab facility for day visits, it’s clear Arg has dramatically transformed his life – and now the source says he feels ready to take the next big step. At the start of the year, Arg, who has been a wedding singer since leaving TOWIE, shared his hopes of finding The One.
He said, ‘I’ve got my weight off – I’m starting to tone up now – and I’ve been clean and sober coming up for two years. The Arg Band is absolutely flying… I’m living my dreams. But two other things I really want to achieve are driving and potentially meeting my future wife, the mother of my kids.’
And with things moving quickly with Nicoline, the insider now adds, ‘Arg has made no secret that he is ready to settle down and would love to have a family of his own. Family is everything to Arg. He’d also love a puppy, but who knows which one will come first!’
