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 quits BBC podcast as they 'can't afford her'
msn.comGemma Collins has quit her BBC podcast because they "can't afford her. " The 41-year-old reality star had fronted 'The Gemma Collins Podcast' - as well as dating advice spinoff 'Love Lounge' - on BBC Sounds since 2019 but has now reportedly left the BBC in favour of a much more lucrative commercial deal.
A source said: "She has quit the BBC because she managed to negotiate an amazing deal to take her podcast elsewhere. Gemma is getting paid a figure that the BBC just couldn't afford and will be getting far more editorial control. " The insider went on to explain that while the former 'TOWIE' star - who is said to be receiving a salary worth five times what she was being paid originally - still "loves" the BBC and is grateful towards them, the new deal will help with career progression and teased that the podcast will be even more "outrageous" when it returns later this year.
The source told The Sun newspaper's TVBiz column: "Gemma loves the BBC and knows they helped get her podcast to where she is now.
But this move will help keep her career moving. She wants to be even more outrageous when the podcast returns later in the year. " During its three-year run on BBC Sounds, 'The Gemma Collins Podcast' pulled in the largest audience amongst the under 35s on the platform, and listeners tuned in to hear the 'Diva Forever' star's gossip from her weekly antics but also heard her open up about tougher subjects, such as her struggle to conceive a baby with fiance Rami Hawash.
