Gemma Collins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gemma Collins
Collins in 2021
Born	Gemma Clare Collins (1981-01-31) 31 January 1981 (age 44) Romford, East London, England
Education	Sylvia Young Theatre School Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls
Occupation	Media personality businesswoman
Years active	2011–present

Gemma Clare Collins (born 31 January 1981) is a famous English TV star and businesswoman. She became well-known after appearing on the reality TV show The Only Way Is Essex from 2011 to 2019. Gemma then appeared on many other popular reality shows. These included I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2014), Celebrity Big Brother (2016), Celebs Go Dating (2018), and Dancing on Ice (2019). In 2018, she started her own TV show called Gemma Collins: Diva. The next year, she also began hosting her own podcast on BBC Sounds.

Early Life and School

Gemma Clare Collins was born on 31 January 1981 in Romford, East London. Her mum, Joan, was a part-time hairdresser. Her dad, Alan, ran a shipping company. Gemma has an older brother named Russell.

The family moved to Rise Park when Gemma was young. She went to Rise Park Infant School. Gemma remembers her childhood as being "filled with love." Even though money was sometimes "tight," her dad always made sure they had family holidays. She has "very happy memories" from those early years.

Gemma later went to Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls. She loved performing arts from a young age. She took dance lessons and went to stage school. When she was 14, she attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She even got a part in the musical The Sound of Music. Gemma's mum always believed she would become famous one day.

Gemma was very outgoing and confident. Because of this, she was sometimes bullied at school. Her parents decided to move her to a private school called Raphael Independent School for her last year. She left school at 16. She once said, "I remember sitting in the exam room for my maths GCSE and thinking, 'I'm going to be famous, I don't need maths.'"

After school, Gemma worked at a clothes shop called Warehouse. She also worked as a waitress at a pub. She tried a media studies course but found it boring. Later, she worked in a care home, helping people with mental illnesses. She then worked at a recruitment agency. Finally, she became a sales executive at a BMW car showroom.

Career in Television

Starting on TV

Gemma's first TV appearance was in a documentary called Snobs in 2000. After this, she met an agent. The agent told her she had "charisma" but needed to lose weight to be on TV.

In 2011, a friend's mum suggested Gemma to the producers of The Only Way Is Essex. At the time, Gemma was selling used cars. The producers filmed her and her friends for two weeks. Soon after, she was cast in the show. She started appearing in the second series in 2011. Her first scene was selling a car to Kirk Norcross. Her mum, Joan, also joined the show in 2012.

Reality TV Star

In April 2013, Gemma released her first book, Basically...: My Life as a Real Essex Girl. It quickly became a bestseller.

In January 2014, Gemma joined the TV diving show Splash!. She had to overcome a fear of water during training. She was the third celebrity to be eliminated. In November 2014, she took part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. She left the show after 72 hours due to health issues.

On 5 January 2016, Gemma entered the Celebrity Big Brother house. She stayed for 29 days before being voted out. In October 2016, Gemma spoke on Sky News. She talked about a campaign to remove the phrase "Essex girl" from the dictionary. She felt the definition, which called Essex girls "unintelligent and materialistic," was unfair. The phrase was removed from the dictionary in 2020.

In January 2017, Gemma took part in Sugar Free Farm. Celebrities tried to live on a sugar-free diet. She even tried fishing. Despite the strict diet, Gemma actually gained weight during the show. In June 2017, she returned to Big Brother as a special guest. In October 2017, Gemma presented an award at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards. She accidentally fell through a stage opening after announcing the winner. The video of her fall became very popular online. Gemma later said it "could have been really fatal."

More TV Shows and Her Own Series

In January 2018, Gemma appeared on Celebrity 100% Hotter for a style makeover. She was "terrified" but wanted to try new looks. In February 2018, she joined Celebs Go Dating. She once walked out on a date who called her a "diva."

In June 2018, she released her second book, The GC: How to Be a Diva. It offers advice on gaining confidence. She also appeared in an advert for Netflix's Orange Is the New Black.

Gemma then starred in Gemma Collins: Diva España, a TV special. In September 2018, she competed on Celebrity MasterChef. She was eliminated after her sea bass dish didn't impress the judges.

On 24 December 2018, Gemma took part in a celebrity special of All Together Now. She sang "Big Spender" and "This Is Me". She finished in third place.

In 2019, Gemma competed on Dancing on Ice with professional partner Matt Evers. She had an on-screen argument with judge Jason Gardiner. In week four, Gemma fell during a live performance. She injured her face and knee. Despite the fall, she got her highest scores and moved on. She was eliminated in week six.

In April 2019, Gemma started filming her own reality series, Gemma Collins: Diva Forever. The show premiered in August 2019 and was very popular. It was renewed for a second series. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gemma filmed a new series from her home called Gemma Collins: Diva on Lockdown. In August 2019, she also started hosting The Gemma Collins Podcast on BBC Sounds.

In August 2020, Gemma launched a second podcast, The Gemma Collins Love Lounge. In October 2020, Gemma Collins: Diva Forever & Ever aired.

On 11 December 2020, Gemma released a charity single with Darren Day. It was a cover of "Baby, It's Cold Outside". The money raised went to Rethink Mental Illness. In February 2021, Gemma appeared on Piers Morgan's Life Stories. She talked about her life, career, and relationships. She also appeared as a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

In December 2021, Gemma was on the Christmas Special of The Weakest Link. She was voted off in the second round. She also returned to Celebrity MasterChef for a Christmas episode. She was praised for her dishes, especially her mushroom, chestnut, and brandy sauce.

Business Ventures

Fashion and Beauty

In July 2012, Gemma launched her first plus-size clothing collection online. She wanted to offer stylish clothes for women in sizes 16 to 22. Gemma had struggled to find fashionable clothes in larger sizes herself. She was "so happy to be able to offer bigger girls a clothing range that they can show their curves off in."

She showed her collection at the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham. In 2013, she won "Best Designer" at the British Plus Size Awards. She also worked with fashion brand Simply Be to launch her own collection. Gemma opened her own clothing boutique in Brentwood called Gemma Collins Clothing. She opened a second boutique in November 2014. In April 2015, she launched a fashion range with retailer Evans.

In November 2017, Gemma worked with fashion website Boohoo.com for a plus-size clothing range. The next year, she released a swimwear collection with them.

In September 2019, Gemma launched her first perfume, Diva Pink. It has scents like guaiac wood, saffron, rose, and sandalwood. She also launched two lipsticks and her own range of false eyelashes.

In March 2020, Gemma teamed up with InTheStyle. They released T-shirts, sweaters, and pyjamas with her famous quotes. This collection was very successful. She then released her first plus-size collection with the brand. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gemma also released her own hand sanitizers and face masks.

In March 2021, Gemma worked with The London Aesthetics Company. They created GemmaCollagen, her own anti-ageing collagen supplement and skincare line. This collection included a cleanser, toner, day cream, facial mask, eye serum, and night repair serum. The collagen capsules were even featured in Grazia magazine's "Best Collagen Supplements" list.

In May 2022, Gemma signed a big deal with fashion retailer New Look. She designed an exclusive collection of bikinis, tops, dresses, and jumpsuits. These were available in sizes 8 to 28. The collection also included jewellery, shoes, and accessories. It launched online and in stores. In June 2022, she worked with the hair care brand Aussie to promote their "Deeep Moisture" range.

Products and Endorsements

Collins opening the new Elf Concierge Service at Heathrow Express in December 2023

In May 2019, Gemma appeared in an online advert for Just Eat. She promoted new chicken fries from Burger King.

In April 2020, Gemma released her own range of chocolate bars with Cocoa Plus. She has also released luxury truffles, an advent calendar, and an Easter egg. In July 2020, Gemma became the face of the airline Wizz Air. She said, "Anyone who knows me knows I am all about holidays, so Wizz have come to the right person for some travel inspo!" In October, she launched her own gin liqueur with Zymurgorium distillery.

In August 2021, Gemma became the new face of laundry detergent brand Surf. She released her own limited edition detergent and capsules called "Diva Divine." In October 2021, Gemma became a speaker at Big Business Events. She shared her tips for business growth. In November 2021, she worked with Amazon Handmade. She created a special 33-piece collection of homeware and gifts for Christmas. In December 2021, Gemma took part in a debate at the Oxford Union for Sainsbury's. She argued that modern dishes should be served on Christmas Day. She won the debate.

In May 2022, Gemma worked with snack food maker Walkers. She was part of their "Crisp In or Crisp Out" campaign. She appeared in an advert with other celebrities, arguing to "keep crisps in" sandwiches. In June, she visited the town of Sandwich to debate against another celebrity. The residents voted, and Gemma won, becoming "President of Sandwich."

In July 2022, Gemma worked with the online game Bingo Blitz. She completed a week of challenges to promote the game. These included explaining her morning routine and doing a jazzercise dance.

Personal Life

Gemma lives in Roxwell, Chelmsford, in a barn conversion. She bought it for £1.35 million in 2021. She calls it her "dream home." She has added a swimming pool and a summer house. Gemma loves gardening and plants. She is also passionate about animals and nature. She has several life-size animal sculptures in her home and garden. These include a horse with a disco ball and a giraffe lamp. She also donated £22,000 to CoExistence, an environmental art campaign, for an elephant sculpture.

Relationships

Gemma got engaged to mechanic Rami Hawash on 25 December 2013. However, they called off the engagement a few weeks later. In July 2021, Gemma confirmed they had gotten back together. They reconnected after meeting at a Madonna concert. In December 2021, Gemma announced that they were engaged for the second time. She is a stepmother to Rami's son.

Filmography

Guest Appearances

Gemma Collins has made many guest appearances on various TV shows, including:

• Loose Women (16 episodes)
• This Morning (24 episodes)
• Celebrity Juice (5 episodes)
• Good Morning Britain (9 episodes)
• Lorraine (7 episodes)
• RuPaul's Drag Race UK (1 episode)

Selected Awards and Nominations

National Reality Television Awards

British Plus Size Awards

Podcasts

• The Gemma Collins Podcast (BBC Sounds, 2019)
• The Gemma Collins Love Lounge (BBC Sounds, 2020)

Images for kids

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  Collins in 2021

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  Collins opening the new Elf Concierge Service at Heathrow Express in December 2023