Reality television star Gemma Collins has executed a masterful April Fools Day prank, sharing a photograph of herself in a wedding dress and claiming to have secretly married, only to reveal it was all an elaborate joke. The former TOWIE personality, aged 45, posted the beaming snap to her 2.2 million Instagram followers, captioning it with a faux announcement of her clandestine nuptials.
The Prank That Fooled Thousands
In her Instagram post, Gemma Collins wrote: "Hey guys I got married in secret recently I didn’t marry as the GC i married as the girl @rami_hawash_ knows pre fame." She tagged her fiancé, businessman Rami Hawash, 50, adding: "It was the most beautiful day with the most beautiful people in a room filled with love sadly the stories started to circulate so I have had to share this with you all now is the time."
The post generated a flood of comments, with many followers initially believing the announcement. Comedian Seann Walsh humorously commented: "It was my pleasure to walk you down the aisle." Meanwhile, Jedward star John Grimes, a friend of Gemma's, added: "It was such a beautiful day loved being your flower boys and when Victoria Beckham gave us all a Jepic dance."
Real Wedding Plans and Relationship History
Despite the prank, Gemma Collins and Rami Hawash are genuinely engaged and planning to marry later this year. The couple first dated in 2011, enjoying an on-off romance for three years that included a Christmas 2012 proposal before splitting in 2014. They rekindled their relationship in 2020 after Gemma's separation from TOWIE co-star James 'Arg' Argent.
Speaking about her upcoming nuptials, Gemma recently explained she wants multiple ceremonies: a main event in the UK, a second celebration abroad, and a "formal one" for close family and friends. True to her flamboyant style, she added that multiple celebrations mean she plans to wear several different wedding dresses.
IVF Struggles and Relationship Strain
Beyond the wedding excitement, Gemma Collins has been candid about her difficult journey with IVF, which she says has taken a significant toll on her relationship. During a preview of her new Sky series, "Four Weddings And A Baby," she told presenter Dermot O'Leary: "My relationship was obviously taking a bit of a hit, I was trying to have a baby - my whole world just fell apart."
She added: "Because I was going through so much trauma and struggles, there was no performative person there. Everyone gets to see the real me - you're in my home. It's what people don't see. I was broken."
Health Challenges and Pregnancy Losses
Gemma Collins faces significant reproductive health challenges, including a low number of AMH hormones which limits her available eggs, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that directly affects her ovaries. She has previously suffered three devastating miscarriages.
Her first pregnancy loss occurred in 2012, though she didn't speak publicly about it until 2020, revealing she didn't realize she was pregnant at the time and that the baby "died in front of her" after giving birth at home on her landing. She suffered a second miscarriage during the Covid pandemic in 2020, followed by a third just months later in July 2020 while pregnant with her ex-boyfriend James' baby.
Despite these challenges, Gemma is already a step-mother to Rami's seven-year-old son Tristan and has expressed interest in surrogacy and fostering options, noting that her own mother was fostered as a child.
The reality star's openness about both her playful prank and serious personal struggles provides a multifaceted glimpse into her life beyond the television screen, blending humor with heartfelt vulnerability as she navigates wedding planning and fertility challenges simultaneously.
