Gemma Clare Collins (born 31 January 1981) is an English media personality and businesswoman. In 2011, she began appearing on the ITVBe reality series The Only Way Is Essex. Following a brief appearance on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2014), Collins has appeared in various television programmes including Celebrity Big Brother (2016), Celebs Go Dating (2018), and Dancing on Ice (2019). In 2019, she began starring in her own reality series and hosting a podcast on BBC Sounds.
Gemma Collins cries over tragic suicide of friend she thought of as ‘little brother’
Gemma Collins broke down in tears as she discussed the tragic suicide of a family friend she thought of as a “little brother.” During a moving moment in her Channel 4 documentary, Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me, the 41 year old met went to visit a centre called Harmless, which provides support for people who self-harm or might be at risk of it in Nottingham.
While there, the former The Only Way is Essex star Gemma met with the founder Caroline Harrow, as the pair had a heartfelt conversation about self-harm, including Gemma’s own 20-year battle.
Gemma then asked why she thought more girls self-harm than boys, to which the founder replied that although that statistic is true, more men commit suicide every year.
Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter. As their conversation turned more personal, a visibly emotional fought back tears as she said: “A very, very good family friend of mine, he was like a little brother to me, he committed suicide.” She then shook her head in disbelief and broke down in tears, before composing herself and continuing with their important conversation.
