Gemma Collins admits to exploiting her weight battle for money
Former TOWIE star made the startling confession on Channel 5 therapy show
GEMMA Collins has admitted to exploiting her own battle with her weight for money and fame.
The former TOWIE star's size has fluctuated over the years and in her most honest and frank interview to date as part of Channel 5's In Therapy, Gemma admitted she was motivated by a desire to be in the limelight and make money quickly.
She said: "I can remember it all, them telling me you need to go over to the park in gym wear and them saying 'we want to get some terrible shots of you but then you will get £15,000 for the pictures Gemma'.
"Looking back now I would never ever have gone down the route of the weight gain and weight loss but it was just a fast way to a quick bit of money."
The 35-year-old revealed to therapist Mandy Saligari she would snap up any offer going to earn some cash, but was once "screwed over" with one deal when a magazine editor told her she hadn't lost enough weight at boot camp.
Despite dropping more pounds than her contract required during a six week stint at boot camp, the editor wasn't impressed.
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She recalled: "I turned up wearing a size 14 bikini and the stick thin editor looked at me and said I hadn't lost enough weight we aren't paying you out on the deal."
Gemma initially did a runner from her session, but eventually sat down with Mandy to talk about the ups and downs of her life.
Also up for discussion was her relationship with money, with Gemma bemoaning the fact £30 was never enough to go shopping with and how she ended up with a £14,000 credit card bill.
She said: "£30 wouldn't cut it, when you were going up west end with your parents what was £30?"
An unimpressed Mandy replied: "I know there are people who are earning £30 and looking after families.
"The lack of humility you have bothers me."
Realising how she sounds, Gemma said: "You're probably right I'm a big baby. It's embarrassing."
The most heartbreaking moment during the session came when Gemma opened up about the devastating miscarriage she suffered in 2012.
The emotional reality star revealed she didn’t even know she was pregnant.
She said: “I woke up with excruciating pains. My mum was like, ‘You’ve got a bad stomach’, and I’m thinking, ‘Nah, something’s not right here’
“I rang an ambulance. I ended up giving birth on my landing to this four and a half month old baby.”
Despite the ordeal, Gemma felt compelled to go through with her red carpet appearance at the National Television Awards straight after.
She added: “My mum started crying, but I knew I had to go and perform at the National Television Awards. I had loads of padding on because I was bleeding heavily, but to the outside world they wouldn’t know.”