TOWIE's Lauren Goodger has been single for nearly two years since the toxic split from her ex and father of her daughter, Charles Drury. And now insiders say that Lauren – who has previously spoken out about her surgery regrets – feels her body insecurities are holding her back from dating again.
“Lauren had a procedure where her own body fat was pumped into her bottom to boost her curves. But it’s changed over time and she’s not happy with how it looks,” the source tells Closer. “The theory is that, as she loses weight, it’s supposed to break down naturally. But the issue is that she also had fillers that have mixed in with the fat, which created lumps.”
The TOWIE star, 37, underwent a Brazilian butt lift in Turkey in 2017, which involved a fat transfer. Lauren later described it as “the worst experience” of her life. “She massively regrets and wishes she’d never gone there,” the source reveals. “She wishes she’d had butt implants as she could get rid of those like her boobs in one quick op. But sadly, with this, there’s no quick fix.”
The insider adds, “Lauren has said her bum has got way too big and she’s just not happy with how it looks anymore. She sometimes feels as if her bum gets more attention than she does! She’s aware it attracts attention and that the only thing she can do is to keep trying to work it off.”
Lauren – who made her TOWIE comeback earlier this year – has admitted that the non-invasive procedure, which took place four years before she had her two-year-old daughter Larose, has left her riddled with back pain. “My bum is absolutely mahoosive. I’ve got lumps and bumps everywhere and it feels heavy and uncomfortable. Now, when I lift Larose, my back is in bits,” she previously told Closer.
The reality star – who famously dated TOWIE’s Mark Wright, the late Jake McLean and ex-con Joey Morrison – had a toxic and tragic relationship with ex Charles, who she began dating in 2020. The couple, who went public with their romance in October 2020, moved in together after just three weeks of dating before announcing that they were expecting a baby in January 2021.
The pair split shortly after welcoming daughter Larose in July 2021 – only to reunite in early 2022 when they found out that Lauren was pregnant. Tragically, daughter Lorena died minutes after her birth in July 2022. The star split from Charles a month later and he was recently cleared in court over allegations of assaulting her.
Since then, Lauren has shied away from dating, instead focusing on her role as a mother to Larose. She said in March that she’s not looking for love. “That’s the last thing on my mind. I’m focusing on co-parenting, going back to work and healing. I’m not where I need to be right now and I know I’ll attract the wrong person until I am,” she revealed. “I’m still dealing with losing Lorena and going through a break-up. When there are kids involved, it’s a whole different ball game.”
Lauren – who had a breast enlargement in 2014, taking her from a 34D to an E, and has had Botox and fillers – opened up about her surgery regrets. “When I had everything done, I looked the boll*cks. My boobs looked amazing, I loved how I looked in pictures and all the attention,” she told Closer. “But now I wish I’d never had anything. I want it all out. My bum and boobs make me look bigger and cause me pain. I want to reverse it all and go back to natural.”
And the source reveals that the star wants to make sure she feels good again in her own skin before she dips her toes back into the dating pool.
“When it comes to romance, how her bum looks has made her lose confidence, and that’s holding her back from the dating scene,” they say. “Plus she struggles leaving Larose with anyone – she gets anxiety over leaving her too long – and isn’t ready to bring a man into her home. She’s lonely and wants to find love, but has no idea who or where to look for it.”
The insider reveals that Lauren, whose weight has fluctuated over the years, is on a new health kick as she’s determined to lose 3st and return to her happy size 12, saying, “Lauren’s body goal is to regain a size 12. She said it’s been years since she’s felt right in her own skin and a size 12 fits her perfectly.”