James Argent: Weight Loss, Relationships, and 2025 Sentence

James Argent has been a fixture of British reality TV since 2010, but his life outside the cameras has taken some dramatic turns. From a life-changing weight loss transformation to a recent suspended prison sentence in Spain, the former TOWIE star’s journey is a mix of personal reinvention and serious legal consequences.

Age: 37 (born 5 December 1987) ·
Weight Loss: 13 stone (182 lb) via gastric sleeve surgery in 2021 ·
Known For: Cast member of The Only Way Is Essex (2010–2018) ·
Recent Legal Event: Suspended prison sentence for gender violence offence (May 2025)

The following table summarises key biographical details.

Is James Argent in a relationship?

• Argent was in an 11-month relationship with Nicoline Artursson, a former Miss Sweden, at the time of the May 2025 incident (The Independent (UK news site)).
• As of May 2025, no other romantic partner has been publicly identified.

The implication: Argent’s most recent known relationship ended under court-ordered conditions, making his current personal life effectively off-limits during the suspension period.

How did James Argent lose all his weight?

• He underwent gastric sleeve surgery on 8 April 2021 at Burcot Hall, part of the Transform Weight Loss programme (Transform Weight Loss (surgery provider)).
• Before surgery he weighed 27 stone (378 lb) during lockdown and dropped to approximately 13.5 stone (189 lb) afterwards (WalesOnline (regional UK news outlet)).
• The procedure was described as “life-saving” by doctors, who warned Argent to lose weight or risk death (YouTube/TV interview upload (unverified third-party)).

What this means: Argent’s weight loss is medically documented and substantial, but he later admitted he was trying to gain weight – suggesting the transformation may not have been fully maintained.

The pattern: His weight journey shows a long-term struggle beyond the initial surgical success, highlighting the challenges of maintaining such a dramatic loss.

Are Gemma Collins and Arg still friends?

• No direct source in the available research details the current state of friendship between James Argent and Gemma Collins. Public records indicate they dated on and off until around 2020, but neither has made a definitive statement about their current relationship.
• Collins has moved on with a new partner; Argent’s legal situation has drawn attention away from past friendships.

The pattern: without explicit statements from either party, the friendship status remains in the “unclear” category. What is clear is that their romantic relationship ended several years before Argent’s 2025 legal case.

Are Mark Wright and James Argent still friends?

• Mark Wright and James Argent were close friends during the TOWIE years (2010–2018). Wright left the show in 2014 and later moved to the United States.
• No recent public interactions between them have been reported in the research sources.

The trade-off: as reality TV casts splinter over time, long-distance friendships often fade. Argent’s current priorities – court-mandated rehabilitation and staying out of trouble – leave little room for reconnecting with former co-stars.

What is James Argent’s sentence?

• On 5 May 2025, a Spanish court in the Costa del Sol handed Argent a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, for a gender violence offence against his partner Nicoline Artursson (BBC News (UK public broadcaster)).
• He was banned from contacting Artursson for the two-year suspension period and ordered to complete a gender violence rehabilitation course (BBC News).
• The Spanish justice ministry confirmed Argent admitted the facts and accepted the penalty (BBC News).
• Neighbours heard screaming and called police, according to The Independent (UK news site).
• The offence is described in Spanish law as “ill-treatment in the field of gender violence” (BBC News).

Why this matters: A suspended sentence means Argent will avoid prison only if he complies with all conditions – including the restraining order and rehabilitation programme – for two full years. Any breach could activate the six-month jail term.

The consequence: His compliance or breach will determine whether he serves time, making this a high-stakes period for the former TOWIE star.

“Reality TV personality James Argent has been handed a suspended prison sentence for a gender violence offence against his partner.”

– BBC News (UK public broadcaster)

“The healing journey continues.”

– James Argent’s Instagram bio (paraphrased from real_arg)

“Argent arrived at Burcot Hall on 8 April 2021 for his gastric sleeve procedure.”

– Transform Weight Loss (surgery provider)

The arc of James Argent’s public life – from TOWIE fame, to dramatic weight loss, to a suspended sentence for gender violence – presents a cautionary tale about fame, health, and accountability. For a reality star whose brand was built on being larger than life, the conditions of his sentence demand a new kind of discipline: staying silent, staying away, and staying out of trouble. Failure means prison. Compliance means a second chance – but one that leaves his public persona permanently altered.

Related reading: James Argent weight loss surgery journey · James Argent suspended sentence in Spain

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Related reading: James Argent suspended sentence in Spain · James Argent weight loss surgery journey