Loved-up TOWIE star James Argent has 'marriage and babies' on his mind with girlfriend Nicoline

James ‘Arg’ Argent’s incredible transformation since his dangerous drug-addled days on TOWIE seems to be complete. After shedding 13 stone and battling his demons with therapy and rehab, 36-year-old James has now found “the final piece of his jigsaw” in the former Miss Sweden, a source tells new.

The clearly besotted couple, who met in Marbella, Spain, where Nicoline lives full-time and James regularly preforms with his wedding band, were spotted sharing a passionate kiss at a fireworks event at Woolston Manor in Essex last week and, according to our source, things couldn't be going better.

“Historically he’s had an issue with commitment,” they claimed. “He had a real problem loving himself, outside and in. But now that he’s worked on that relationship, the one with himself, he’s been able to have a really healthy relationship with someone else. His relationship with Nicoline really demonstrates how happy he is now. She’s a brilliant girl, she’s a homebody, she’s so not Essex. She’s very, very grounded and grounding for Arg. She doesn’t court the spotlight and she’s very intelligent, she’s a breath of fresh air.

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“He’s introduced her to Mark [Wright] and she got the thumbs up from him, all his Essex friends are really delighted for him. Arg has good people around him now, and everyone in his life just wants to see him happy. He’s been on such a journey with the addiction, and his weight, and his mental health, and those around him couldn’t be happier.”

James has spoken openly of his issues with drugs and admitted that he was “a heavy user for seven years” and experienced two near-fatal overdoses at his rock bottom. He’s also battled with his weight, which reached a dangerously heavy 26st 13lb and left him unable to tie his own shoelaces at one point. After having a gastric sleeve surgery in 2021, he visited numerous fitness and rehab centres to make sure he doesn’t ever slip backwards. After the surgery, he admitted: “It felt horrible, I was always extremely uncomfortable, I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror.”

Our source says it’s only because of the hard work that he’s done on himself that James is able to really make the most of what he’s found with Nicoline, 31. “His demons prevented him from being in a healthy and happy committed relationship,” they claimed. “He just didn’t believe he was worthy of love, and then didn’t love in return because of that. “He had no foundation but now he’s found that. He’s really put the work in, he’s lost the weight, he’s done the therapy, it’s been a lot of work but he couldn’t be in a better place.”

Rumours of James and Nicoline’s relationship first emerged in September after the pair were spotted kissing in the sea on a romantic break to Saint-Tropez. They then went Instagram official a short time later, with James gushing, “I honestly started to think that it might not happen for me but I found you and everything changed!” alongside a photograph of them cozied up.

While Nicoline replied with “I love you so much, my man, my James” - it was another comment that read “I can’t wait for the wedding” that really caught his followers’ attention - posted by Debbie Bright, the mum of his TOWIE ex Lydia Bright.

According to our source, Debbie’s wish could soon be granted. “He absolutely thinks she’s the one and he wants to marry her,” they claimed. “He wants a family, she wants a family, it all makes sense. He is the cat who has got the cream. It’s real true love, it’s not for showbiz. He’s been asking for advice from friends about rings and proposals, it’s definitely at the forefront of his mind right now.”

James and Nicoline's latest loved-up display comes a year after James was reportedly left heartbroken following his split from his Italian law student girlfriend Stella Turian, 20. Before the breakup, James, who previously dated fellow TOWIE alumna Gemma Collins on and off for years, spoke about how happy he was, and even hinted that Stella might be The One, saying, “I would love to get married one day. It's a bit early right now but who knows I could be singing at my own wedding one day.”

But now that things with Nicoline are going so well - and she seems to have the seal of approval from James’s nearest and dearest, including best pal Mark Wright, who is married to former Corrie star Michelle Keegan - our source says James is much more interested in being a groom than a wedding singer right now.

“He’s really glad he didn’t rush into anything” they claimed, “ he sees his friends getting married and having babies and a relationship like the one he has now has been the final missing piece of the jigsaw, and he’s found that piece in Nicoline.”