Gemma Collins and James Argent's relationship timeline in full

The course of true love never did run smooth, after all
Split: Gemma Collins and James Argent have reportedly parted ways
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
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James Argent has taken to Instagram to declare that isolating without Gemma Collins “sucks,” as the TOWIE star entertains the nation with her new lockdown series.

Sharing a photo of the pair in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background, Argent revealed that he and Collins have been isolating separately.

“Lockdown absolutely sucks without you GC but I understand you have to entertain the nation & put a smile on people’s faces at this difficult time! #imissyou #wellmeetagain,” he wrote.

Argent’s post comes as Collins continues to provide light relief for the nation on her series Diva On Lockdown.

In the show, Collins has been openly flirtatious with other men - but confirmed that “all my life I've only ever fancied James Argent”.

Collins and Argent’s relationship is the definition of on-again, off-again. Let’s take a look at the full timeline of their relationship up to now...

​As we look back on their relationship, brace yourselves for a tale of fake tans, real drama and incidental references to Spanish holiday destinations.

Split: James Argent and Gemma Collins have reportedly parted ways
Getty Images

2011: The GC and Arg first meet

Our story starts back in 2011, when Collins joined the cast of ITV2's The Only Way Is Essex. Argent was dating childhood sweetheart and fellow reality star Lydia Bright at the time, but struck up a friendship with the GC.

​Spring 2012: It's on!

​Shortly after Argent split up with Bright, he hooked up with Collins - but couldn't stop gossiping about the romance (and poking fun at his potential love interest) to his TOWIE cast mates in scenes aired on the show.

June 2012:' You ain't ever gonna get this candy!'

​(Warning: contains strong language)

​The GC spawned the first of many catchphrases when she emerged victorious in an unforgettable showdown with Argent during an early season of TOWIE.

After discovering that he'd been laughing at her behind her back, she publicly took him to task for "disrespecting" her at a pool party in Marbella. Taking off her sarong, she shouted the immortal line: "Take a good look at this, you ain't ever gonna get this candy!"

"I might not be a size 10 but I've got a good heart, so take that and kiss that!" she continued, as Arg looked on in shock.

​September 2012: It's off (for the first time)

Star-crossed lovers: Gemma Collins and James Argent
Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

​Though they patched things up in the wake of the infamous "candy" episode, the couple's first attempt at romance didn't last much longer, with the GC reportedly calling time on the relationship when Arg "infuriated" her by jetting off to Ibiza without bothering to invite her along.

​2013 - 2015: Gemma dates Rami, while Arg gets back together with Lydia

​As Shakespeare once wrote, the course of true love never did run smooth, and our favourite couple spent the next few years apart. Collins dated another on-off love interest, mechanic Rami Hawash, who made a number of cameo appearances in TOWIE throughout this period, and saw Collins accept a festive marriage proposal from him at the end of 2013 (he hid the ring in a Christmas pudding, naturally.)

However, things were pretty tumultuous between the pair, and they split in mid-2014, though they went on to briefly reconcile a handful of times.

Meanwhile Argent got back together with Bright (though the couple finished things for good in 2016).

​March 2017: Marbella drama

​In a characteristically shocking TOWIE twist, Bright learned that Argent had hooked up with Collins during a(nother) trip to Marbella, on the same night that she had also reconciled with her ex.

Gemma Collins - In pictures

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​November 2017: A tearful 'split'

​Though they were never officially "on" following the Marbella incident, the pair seemed to call things off for good during an emotional episode of TOWIE, which saw the GC decide to leave Essex in order to clear her head.

"I can't make you like me, I can't make you fall in love with me," she told Arg, before he refused to jet off to Tenerife with her as "it wouldn't be fair," prompting Collins to burst into tears.

December 2017: A romantic declaration

​Soon after, Arg's feelings for Collins seemed to take a complete U-turn (is it just us, or is a pattern emerging?) when he made a declaration of his love for her in a festive TOWIE special.

"You treat me with such respect, you're kind to me and you make me laugh so much," he said, before they kissed for the cameras.

​February 2018: Gemma takes Celebs Go Dating by storm

​Clearly, things didn't last for long, as Collins made a meme-worthy appearance on E4's Celebs Go Dating.

Viewers were treated to a heart-rending rejection scene worthy of Richard Curtis when her hopeful date Laurence arrived at St Pancras with two tickets for the Eurostar, a bouquet of flowers and dreams of whisking the GC off to Paris.

However, she failed to turn up due to some "traffic on the road at Leytonstone," leaving a morose Laurence to gaze sadly into the distance and hand the flowers to a passer-by. Collins went on to enjoy a day of Galaxy chocolate, spray tanning and a Keeping Up With the Kardashians marathon.

July 2018: Another break-up, another reconciliation

Spoiler alert: Collins didn't find the love of her life on Celebs Go Dating, and picked things up with Arg shortly after. However, their relationship hit the rocks once again when she reportedly grew tired of his "excessive partying," which prompted another split.

All was not lost, though, and the pair seemed to confirm that they were back on in a series of social media posts shared following the finale of Collins' reality show Diva Espana.

"Thank you for all the amazing comments & support for my show!" she wrote on Twitter, adding: "I love Arg very much. He is working so hard. We're back together & happy!"

Meanwhile, Arg wrote: "Can't describe how proud I am of my girlfriend @missgemcollins #DivaEspana NUMBER 1 TRENDING on Twitter!"

January 2019: Declarations of love and Dancing on Ice

​The couple appeared stronger than ever as Collins competed on ITV's Dancing On Ice, with Argent supporting her at the live performances each Sunday and helping her on the road to recovery after her infamous fall during her performance to Celine Dion's It's All Coming Back To Me Now.

In an Instagram post shared shortly after the fall, Argent described his girlfriend as "amazing," writing: "To perform at all after the week you've had is nothing short of amazing. I love you so much & I'm so proud of you."

​February 2019: Another dramatic split amid 'fat-shaming' jibes

Just a week after spending a romantic Valentine's weekend at the Dorchester, Collins reportedly 'dumped' Argent after he posted a video of her snoring - before sending her a stream of 'fat-shaming' texts.

Collins is thought to have been left furious after her now-ex shared the unflattering clip, allegedly prompting him to hit back with a stream of insulting text messages targeting her weight.

The Sun reports that he wrote: "You fat horrible lump. Nasty mean woman. Who the f*** do you think you are? You've got more rolls than Greggs."

The paper also claimed that Collins has drawn parallels between her relationship with Argent and the ill-fated love story of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's characters in A Star Is Born, in which Gaga's Ally eventually eclipses her mentor Jackson Maine (Cooper) in the stardom stakes.

The reality star is thought to be handling the break-up in true GC fashion: by jetting off on holiday. "Time for a holiday. Passport, AirPods, fabulous swimsuits and Malibu and pineapple," she wrote on Instagram.

Meanwhile, a scrap van reportedly arrived at her Essex home to pick up Argent's favourite scooter.

March 2020: Back together

In late 2019, Collins and Argent were back together again, and in March 2020, were pictured out walking together.

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