Gemma Collins has revealed that her mum died the day before she was due to marry Rami Hawash. The former TOWIE star, 45, returned to the Big Brother house last week as a celebrity houseguest.
In an emotional conversation with her housemates, she shared the sad news, describing her mum Joan as "an amazing woman". Sitting in the garden of the luxury property, Gemma told the group: "She was an amazing woman and I had an amazing 45 years with her. I was with her every day."
Finding the strength to carry on
She went on to say she had to "find the strength to carry on" following her passing and added: "I was meant to get married on the Thursday and my mum passed away on the Wednesday. What can you do?"
She then tried to make light of the sad moment, adding: "To be honest it was all a rush anyway, I ordered a dress off Shein it would not have gone down well."
Tribute to her mum
Gemma's mum Joan died aged 70 in July. The I'm A Celebrity star said at the time that her heart was "shattered into a million pieces".
In a statement confirming the news, Gemma wrote on Instagram: "My heart is shattered into a million pieces. Today our beautiful mum passed away peacefully surrounded by LOVE Mum. Today, every piece of my heart left with you. No words will ever be enough to thank you for loving me, guiding me, and being my mum. You gave me life, you gave me strength, and you gave me memories that I will carry for every day I have left."
She continued: "The house will never sound the same without you. Your voice, your smile, your little ways, they are woven into every corner of my life. I will miss you more than I could ever put into words."
Relationship history
Gemma first met Rami in 2011. Their relationship was a focus of Gemma's recent Sky documentary: Gemma Collins: Everything All At Once. He proposed in 2013 with a diamond ring hidden inside a Christmas pudding, but the couple split the following year. They rekindled their romance in 2020 and got engaged again in 2024.
