Gemma Collins cries over tragic suicide of friend she thought of as ‘little brother’

(Image via Shawn Mendes)

Fans were quick to comment on Joan’s post and send their well wishes.Among them was Catherine Zeta Jones. The actress wrote: “I dare you!!!!!!” Missfamenyc also said: “Yessss.”Stacey_Garvey31 penned: “The kartrashians don’t even come near your league QUEEN!”Alongside four flame emojis, Victoriasmurfit wrote: “Amen.”Joan is an actress best known for her roles as provocative female characters, most notably as manipulative seductress Alexis Carrington in soap opera Dynasty. In December, Joan spoke up about her feelings during the first COVID-19 lockdown. She explained that she felt there was nothing she could do as she addressed her weight gain over the course of the pandemic. Joan spent the first few months of the lockdown in London.Following the easing of travel restrictions, she moved house with husband Percy Gibson. She said she became frustrated with the intense restrictions, and decided to move to her home in the South of France instead.Speaking to the Daily Mail in December, the actress said: "I found London difficult because I felt like I was in jail, not knowing when I was going to get out.”She admitted that at first, she spent a "ridiculous" amount of time watching TV and added that she gained weight as a result of excessive eating and sitting down.Joan continued: "Of course I was [in tracksuits] weren’t we all?“I gained about half a stone.“I was eating as much as possible because aside from drinking bottles of wine and polishing off chocolates – what else was there to do?"

“The only thing I knew was that I loved to sing,” said Alexandra Grey of her first time on stage in a school production of Once on This Island. Nearly two decades later, the 31-year-old actress, known for her recurring roles on Empire and MacGyver and co-starring in two feature films currently in production, finally returns to the stage in a concert revival of The Life at New York City Center.Directed by Billy Porter and co-starring Ledisi along with a roster of Broadway’s best, Grey’s professional stage debut is overdue — a dream discarded long ago after a childhood of foster homes, abuse, and family disownment. But if there’s one thing that Grey has in common with the character of Queen, a transgender sex worker fighting to get off the streets, it’s resilience.“For so long, you know, I didn’t even have time to dream about this,” Grey told INTO by phone the day after The Life’s opening night.

take gold at the Division I women's swimming championship.Thomas, a transwoman, who now swims for the University of Pennsylvania women's team, spent three seasons on the men's team before starting hormone treatment. Although Thomas passed all of the NCAA's rules for trans competitors, including 12 months of testosterone suppression, many are speaking out against Thomas' victory claiming it's unfair for the biological women she competes against.Thomas placed first in the 500-yard freestyle competition with a time of 4:33.24. Her victory has sparked backlash on social media.Crenshaw took to Twitter Friday posting a picture of Thomas and her fellow competitors with the caption, "NCAA should be ashamed of itself."NCAA should be ashamed of itself.

a bill went through last week that allocates funding for HIV testing, prevention, treatment, and research programs for areas in the U.S. most impacted by the virus.

cut by the Las Vegas Raiders this week. He was released, according to the Raiders, for salary cap reasons.

Lightyear, a release from Disney’s Pixar subsidiary.The animated film, billed as an origin story for the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear, features a female colleague of Lightyear’s, Hawthorne (pictured), who is in a romantic relationship with a woman. A source told Variety that a kiss between the couple had been cut from the film but was put back in last week following the uproar over the company’s record.“According to multiple former Pixar employees who spoke with Variety on the condition of anonymity, creatives within the studio have tried for years to incorporate LGBTQ identity into its storytelling in ways big and small, only to have those efforts consistently thwarted,” the publication reports.After the initial criticism of Disney leaders for not speaking out against the “don’t say gay” bill in Florida, where the company is a major employer, CEO Bob Chapek sent a memo to staff saying, “The biggest impact we can have in creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create here, and the diverse community organizations we support, including those representing the LGBTQ+ community.”Pixar workers then said the content isn’t so inclusive.

The Violence Against Women Act, reauthorized in the spending bill signed into law Tuesday by President Joe Biden, for the first time includes a grant program designed to aid LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Photo: iStock.

JK Rowling has accused Sir Keir Starmer of misrepresenting equalities law, claiming Labour can ‘no longer be counted on to defend women’s rights.’Sir Keir told The Times that ‘trans women are women’ according to statute in the UK, and called for a more ‘considered, respectful, tolerant debate’ about gender.But Rowling said he had misrepresented the law, which she said indicated ‘the Labour Party can no longer be counted on to defend women’s rights.’Sharing an article on Twitter about a Tory police and crime commissioner reportedly reprimanded for her comments on gender issues, she said: ‘I don’t think our politicians have the slightest idea how much anger is building among women from all walks of life at the attempts to threaten and intimidate them out of speaking publicly about their own rights, their own bodies and their own lives.‘Among the thousands of letters and emails I’ve received are disillusioned members of Labour, the Greens, the Lib Dems and the SNP. Women are scared, outraged and angry at the deaf ear turned to their well-founded concerns.

Senate hearing regarding proposed transgender-based legislation in multiple levels of athletics recently led to a heated back-and-forth between a senator and a trans rights advocate.Missouri Senate Bill No. 781, also known as the "Save Women's Sports Act," is the latest proposed national transgender-based legislation that would affect athletics at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels.A video posted as part of a tweet from the Human Rights Campaign showed a detailed exchange between trans rights advocate Avery Jackson, 14, and Republican State Senator Elaine Gannon.

In case anyone ever needed an argument in favor of making superhero costumes out of spandex–or perhaps an argument against it too–Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield has provided both.Garfield, 38, stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to discuss some of his recent acting projects, including his Oscar-nominated performance in tick…tick…BOOM! The pair also got onto the subject of his role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which he played opposite current Spider-Man Tom Holland and former Spider-Man Tobey Maguire.According to Garfield, before the three even shot their scenes together, Marvel Studios asked them to do a photoshoot recreating an infamous meme. The image in question shows three versions of Spider-Man pointing at one another.

The United Kingdom continued a long tradition of anti-LGBTQ action as bans on gay marriage in the UK’s territories of the Cayman Islands and Bermuda were upheld by the country’s Privy Council, the highest appeals court for many UK Caribbean territories.The Privy Council upheld existing bans on marriage equality in both the Cayman Islands and Bermuda, citing the fact that same-sex nuptials are explicitly banned under their respective, independent constitutions.According to PinkNews, both the Cayman Islands and Bermuda have legalized — and subsequently re-criminalized — gay marriage.In the Cayman Islands, gay marriage was temporarily legalized in March 2019 after a lesbian couple sued to have their marriage recognized by the government. But authorities appealed the lower court’s decision, resulting in a reversal – although the appeals court said that the government had to provide “legal status equivalent to marriage” for same-sex couples.The couple then appealed to the Privy Council, which sided with the appeals court in upholding the ban.In Bermuda, the government legalized gay marriage in May 2017 in response to an ongoing legal battle, but the government later recriminalized the practice in 2018 before once again legalizing it that same year.

Two transgender men and one trans woman have sued the state of Oklahoma over its efforts to block them from amending the gender on their birth certificates.The lawsuit, filed in federal court by Lambda Legal on behalf of Tulsa residents Rowan Fowler, Allister Hall, and a Creek County resident who chose to remain anonymous, using the initials C.R., alleges that the three faced intentional discrimination “on the basis of [their] transgender status” when they were barred from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate to align with their gender identity.The lawsuit names Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma Commissioner of Health Keith Reed, and registrar of vital records Kelly Baker as defendants in the lawsuit.The prohibition on amending gender markers was imposed by Stitt after he issued an executive order banning the practice. Stitt issued the order in response to outrage from his fellow Republicans after the state’s Department of Health complied with a judge’s order and approved an amended birth certificate with a nonbinary gender marker.The original plaintiff in the case leading to that decision, Kit Lorelied, had sued after being denied the right to have their correct gender reflected on their birth certificate, as trans and nonbinary individuals are currently able to do in 17 states and the District of Columbia.Stitt has since urged the state legislature to ban “nonbinary gender markers” on vital documents — a proposal that is currently being considered by the state’s senate.

Miami New Times reports. He says he did so after the man stole his wallet."I was a victim and I have nothing to hide but I cannot comment on an open investigation," Reyes told the outlet.

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Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, met virtually with Florida LGBTQ+ students and their families Thursday and assured the participants of the Biden administration’s support amid the passage of the state’s “don’t say gay” bill and other attacks on the community.“The department and the Biden-Harris administration stands with LGBTQI+ students and families in Florida and across the country. Laws around the country, including in Florida, have targeted and sought to bully some of our most vulnerable students and families, and create division in our schools,” Cardona said, according to a Department of Education press release.

Gemma Collins stepped out in style to attend her friend’s brunch event, wearing a figure-hugging outfit and embracing her weight loss and natural beauty with little to no makeup as she supported her pal.The reality television star looked incredible as she attended the Women's Health Wellness Brunch in London.The event was hosted by actress and former Hollyoaks star Davinia Taylor in celebration of her wellness journey. Taylor, who played Jude Cunningham in the long-running soap, became an advocate for healthy living when she found sobriety after being “extremely unhealthy, near death unhealthy".At the brunch, Gemma wore her signature blonde locks in a smooth blow dry as they cascaded down her shoulders and framed her face.

Gemma Collins appeared fresh-faced as she displayed her makeup free complexion at an event, after the star received praise for her recent self-harm documentary.The former TOWIE star, 41, wore a black jumper with frilled sleeves and leggings as she attended a wellness brunch on Wednesday with former Hollyoaks actress Davinia Taylor and other celebs. Gemma arrived at the event with a pair of dark, oversized sunglasses but soon took them off to reveal a make-up free look.

In a recent documentary named Gemma Collins: Self-Harm, the former TOWIE star, 41, opened up on her 20-year battle with self-harm and shared a side to her we'd been yet to see. During the hard-hitting documentary, Gemma had a heartfelt and honest conversation with her mum as she asked: "But what's more important, life being busy or your daughter hurting herself?" The duo then spoke openly about Gemma’s experience with self-harm, as Gemma asked her mum: "Did you not want to get help?" To which Joan replied: "Well, no, because you’re my daughter and my eyes are on you the whole time.

GEMMA Collins looked fresh-faced as she went make-up free in a birthday tribute to her nephew Hayden. The former Towie star, 41, uploaded a video of her and the teen dancing in the car to a remix of Drake's song Get It Together.

Gemma Collins was up in arms as she took to her garden to unveil the "terrible" damage caused to her property by Storm Eunice.The 41-year-old TOWIE legend was unable to comprehend how "furniture" and "fence panels" could just be flung around as she explained her garden had been "blown to pieces".Her Essex home grounds looked much like a battle field with a large garden horse toppled over and gnomes face down in the mud.The reality star appeared to be distressed as she spoke to camera, telling viewers she'd even been left without electricity overnight and had to charge up her phone in the car.In the video, she said: "Poor Tallulah was taken down in the storm. Unbelievable.

Gemma Collins was left amongst the carnage after Storm Eunice managed to destroy her Essex mansion.

GEMMA Collins gave fans a sneak peek inside her luxury pad while revealing that storm Eunice left her without power. The former The Only Way Is Essex star, 41, took to Instagram to explain that she's had no electricity since Friday.

The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma Collins shared a video to her 2.2 million followers showing the damage Storm Eunice caused to her garden. The reality favourite, 41, videoed the aftermath of the storm to her garden including her ceramic horse Tallulah on her side. Gemma said: “Poor Tallulah was taken down in the storm.

Gemma Collins has issued a statement to fans after the release of her powerful self-harm documentary on Channel 4 - and she's "touched" with everyone's support.The 42-year-old TOWIE took to Instagram on Thursday night (February 17) to thank her 2.2 million followers for all of their support for the show.It comes just after the GC revealed her traumatic self-harm struggles in her latest documentary - Self Harm and Me - which aired on Wednesday.In the documentary, she said the first time she ever self-harmed was in front of her parents at the young age of 13.Gemma says she struggled with self-harming for two decades and used to hurt herself as a "release", but she kept her mental health battles private as she was "ashamed". Catching up with fans, Gemma wrote: "Thank you so much for all your lovely kind words I have been very touched by your response and support and overwhelmed to find out how many families are going through the same and individuals please ask for help today,"She also referred any struggling to fans to self harm organisation Harmless, adding: "you will be in safe hands @harmless_uk"Speaking in the doc, Gemma said she didn't self-harm to kill herself.The TV star said: "I wasn't self harming to kill myself.

Channel 4 viewers said they had a 'new found respect' for Gemma Collins as she opened up in a 'brave' documentary.

 her fiancé, Rami Hawash. In one particularly difficult moment though, Gemma sat her mother Jean down in an attempt to talk about why she didn’t come to her aid, despite hurting herself in front of her parents at 13. ‘I obviously needed some sort of help or support at that time,’ the television personality admitted.

Gemma Collins fans praised the "brave" star for opening up in her "powerful" Channel 4 documentary Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me on Wednesday night.The powerful show charted Gemma's, 41, 20-year battle with self-harm and shared a side to the The Only Way Is Essex star that the public are yet to see. During the hard-hitting documentary, Gemma opened up about her fears that the urge to self-harm might return and make her an "unfit mother".

GEMMA Collins has told of the sickening abuse she suffered at the hands of trolls after bravely revealing her secret self-harming past. The reality TV star's documentary on her childhood trauma aired tonight - and Gemma read out the vicious trolling she got for speaking out. "So attention-seeking.

Gemma Collins confronted her mum Joan in her new documentary Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me on Wednesday night as she asked why she didn't address her self-harming when she was younger. The powerful show charted Gemma's, 41, 20-year battle with self-harm and shared a side to the The Only Way Is Essex star that the public are yet to see. During the hard-hitting documentary, Gemma had a heartfelt and honest conversation with her mum as she asked: "But what's more important, life being busy or your daughter hurting herself?" Earlier in the documentary, Gemma and her mum had a heartfelt chat while looking through old photographs from when Gemma was young.

Gemma Collins sweetly recalled the first moment she met her fiancé Rami Hawash during her powerful documentary Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me on Wednesday night. The powerful show charted Gemma's, 41, 20-year battle with self-harm and shared a side to the The Only Way Is Essex star that the public are yet to see. During the hard-hitting documentary, Gemma, who recently told new! magazine that she's "desperate" to have a baby with fiancé Rami, revealed that they first met at a pub in Chigwell, Essex.

Gemma Collins broke down in tears in her new documentary Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me on Thursday night as she opened up about her fears that her self-harm could return. The powerful show charted Gemma's, 41, 20-year battle with self-harm and shared a side to the The Only Way Is Essex star that the public are yet to see.

Gemma Collins clashed with her mum Joan over the TOWIE star's battles with self-harm as a teen.The 41-year-old reality star has spoken out for the first time about her struggles with self-harm in a new Channel 4 documentary, called Self Harm and Me.The documentary aired on Wednesday night (February 16), and it sees TV star Gemma try to find out why she used to self-harm for two decades.In the moving documentary, Gemma reveals that she started cutting herself as a teen and first self-harmed in front of her parents at just thirteen years old.In tense scenes, Gemma had a tough conversation with her mum Joan about her self-harming issues.Joan said her and Gemma's dad Alan dismissed the subject at first as they thought their daughters simply: "copying someone from the television".Gemma looked shocked by her mum's comment and told her it was a "silly thing to say".She told her mum: "I needed some help and support at the time,", adding: "Yours and dad's approach was to 'let’s never mention it'."Joan replied: "Life was busy, with everything going on."Gemma fired back: "Yeah but what’s more important, life being busy or your daughter cutting themselves?"Joan responded: "You seemed ok. The problem is with you it wouldn’t have been from home life."You had everything and was happy.

Gemma Collins breaks down in tears over her close friend's suicide after bravely opening up about her own history of self-harm.The 41-year-old reality star has struggled with hurting herself for two decades and has opened up about her past for the first time in a candid Channel 4 documentary which aired on Wednesday (February 16) evening.Over the course of the film, Gemma chatted with her therapist, Mandy Saligari, mum Joan, best friend Vicky and her fiancé Rami.She also met with people who have similar experiences of self-harm and learns about some of the support available.During her visit to Harmless, a centre for self-harm prevention in Nottingham, Gemma got emotional about her close friend's tragic death.The former Celebrity Big Brother star asked co-founder and CEO of the charity Harmless, Caroline Harrow: "Why is it more girls that self-harm then boys?"Caroline replied: "Yeah more girls show up then boys but more men kill themselves."A visibly emotional Gemma added: "A very close family friend of mine, he was like a little brother to me, he committed suicide," before breaking down into tears.Rhys Alan Smith, the ex boyfriend of TOWIE's Harry Derbidge, died in 2021 after taking his own life.He was close friends with several cast members in particular Gemma and her ex James Argent.Gemma also revealed in the documentary that she struggled with her meteoric rise to fame.She was a car saleswoman when she first appeared on The Only Way Is Essex back in 2011.It didn't take long before Gemma became one of the show's most iconic stars.Speaking about the impact of that for the first time, Gemma told fiancé Rami Hawash what triggered her to self-harm.She explained: "It was never about you, it was never about any of that."It

Ahead of her new, eye-opening documentary, reality star Gemma Collins has opened up about her experience with therapy over the years. During the Channel 4 show, Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me, audiences are afforded an insight into Gemma's sessions with long-term therapist Mandy Saligari. Over the course of the film we see Gemma open up to Mandy as well as share her story with her best friend, mum and fiancé Rami Hawash.

Gemma Collins has revealed the first time she self-harmed was in front of her parents aged 13.The 41-year-old reality star has opened up for the first time about her history of self-harm, which she struggled with for two decades.In her new Channel 4 documentary, which airs on Wednesday (February 16) night, Essex beauty Gemma tries to get to the bottom of why she self-harmed by talking to her family, friends and therapistShe explains she first started cutting herself when she was a teenager.Gemma says: "I wasn't self-harming to kill myself. It was to release."I'd cover it up and get on with my life.

Gemma Collins has revealed she's had to have a nurse come to her home and administer an IV drip after struggling to recover from coronavirus. Former The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma, 41, opened up to fans on her Instagram stories as she filmed herself having a vitamin C drip put in and explained she's been feeling "exhausted" lately. As Gemma filmed herself with the cannula in her arm, which was being fixed on by her nurse, she explained to her followers: "So guys, today I am poorly.

Gemma Collins has revealed she had to be put on a drip as she continues to battle post-Covid exhaustion. The former Towie star, 41, has recovered after having the coronavirus but said she has days where she "literally can't do a thing".

Gemma Collins has revealed she is battling the symptoms of covid after sharing pictures of her hooked up to a drip.

GEMMA Collins revealed she was on a drip as she struggled to recover from Covid. Sharing a video of a nurse at her Essex mansion treating her with the drip, the GC admitted some days she "can't do a thing." Gemma said: "Today I am poorly, since having Covid it's really weird, I have these days where I literally can't do a thing.

Gemma Collins has revealed the reasons for her self-harm and assured her fiancé Rami Hawash it was "never about" him.The 41-year-old has opened up about her mental health struggles for her new Channel 4 documentary Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me.In a new clip, the reality star reflects on the time her fiancé caught her 10 years ago when they were previously together.The former TOWIE star admitted that she cut herself as a "coping mechanism" to relieve pressure.In a teaser clip, she reflected the impact her fiancé catching her had on them as a couple.She said: "It was never about you, it was never about any of that. It was to do with me, obviously I was going through something and the only way I could relieve the pressure was to cut myself."She continued: "I never wanted to kill myself, that never went through my head."It was like a coping mechanism for me, so you know, when I just obviously, suddenly got famous and then people were coming up to me every five minutes.

Cheryl Hole’s pick for Snatch Game on Drag Race UK vs the World would’ve gone down in herstory.

Reality TV royalty Gemma Collins is set to expose a new and intimate side to herself in her upcoming Channel 4 documentary Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me. The show, which airs on Wednesday 16 February, will chart Gemma's 20-year battle with self-harm and expose a side to the The Only Way Is Essex star that the public are yet to see.

Gemma Collins has revealed she was scared of being "locked up" if people found out about her self-harming.The TOWIE star also feared she was going to be placed in a mental asylum for the rest of her life - away from her family and friends.Gemma, 41, has recently spoken out about her mental health struggles ahead of her new Channel 4 documentary - Gemma Collins: Self Harm and Me - which will explore her mental health battles.Speaking to The Mirror, The GC said she felt like she couldn't tell anyone about her self-harming issue because she felt like she would be isolated from her nearest and dearest.She said: "So when I started self-harming I couldn’t tell anyone because I was thinking I’m going to get locked up, not going to see my family or friends and I’m going to be in a mental asylum my whole life."Gemma explained that she revealed her self-harming to her parents - who were left shocked by their teenage daughter.She went on: "My parents were in the kitchen and I just walked in. I think I’d done it before, but it was a bit of a cry for help.

Known for speaking her mind, The Only Way is Essex star Gemma Collins has revealed more about her own self-harming and how she feared being “locked up” if she was discovered. Gemma, also known by her public persona The GC, has recently spoken candidly about self-harm in her Channel 4 documentary Gemma Collins: Self Harm and Me, which is set to be aired on Wednesday 16 February.The reality star, 41, is set to show a more raw and emotional side to her than viewers usually see and speaks with psychotherapists, self-harmers, friends and family in a bid to get to the bottom of what drives people to self-harm. Ahead of the the programme's air date, the TV favourite spoke to The Mirror about the issue admitting she feared she’d be “locked up” if she was found out.

GEMMA Collins has revealed that she hid her self harming secret because she feared she'd be "locked up forever". The 41-year-old will take an emotional look into her past to raise awareness in her upcoming Channel 4 documentary, Gemma Collins: Self-Harm & Me. Now in a new teaser for her upcoming one-off, viewers see the TV star admitting she never spoke about her self-harming battle because she was scared she would be sent to a "mental asylum" for the rest of her life.

Gemma Collins has delighted fans with a rare glimpse at her childhood in a series of snaps shared on her Instagram page. Former The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma, 41, shared a trio of snaps on her Instagram page, showing her as a child.The first image sees a much younger angelic looking Gemma smiling and gazing at the camera. Gemma has her blonde hair tied up in bunches and her piercing blue eyes are looking directly into the lens.

READ MORELove Island: is this iconic star going back on the show?Hang on - is that Love Island's Millie Court in Euphoria?Classic Love Island boy shows off wild hair transformation and wowDefinitely. I’d always put off having children, because I was so scared that self-harming could come back and that I wouldn’t be a fit mother. Yes, I could provide financial stability for the child and a lot of love, but what if it came back? The fact that it’s not going to has given me the full green light.