EXCLUSIVE: TOWIE star James Argent and new girlfriend Nicoline Artursson chat exclusively to OK! about their romance, Christmas plans, and what they see in their future together
Sitting beside his stunning Miss Sweden girlfriend, it’s no surprise that smitten James Argent looks pleased as punch. He has turned his life around over the past six years after hitting rock bottom through drink and drug abuse, which almost left him dead. Leaving behind The Only Way Is Essex — the reality show that made him a household name — he went into rehab then underwent a gastric band operation, which saw him shed 14 stone.
And to top off his transformation, he’s met the woman of his dreams — Nicoline Artursson. Sitting down with OK! magazine for their first interview as a couple, James, 36, and Nicoline, 31, tell us how it was love at first sight after their paths crossed outside a Spanish supermarket, how model Nicoline has moved into his Essex home and how they are already looking ahead to starting a family together.
“To have her beside me is like a dream,” James — also known as Arg — beams. “She’s absolutely beautiful. She’s a combination of Julia Roberts and Claudia Schiffer. What I love about Nicoline is, even though she’s very humble, she’s very classy.”
And what does Nicoline see in him? “James is so kind, funny and handsome,” she smiles. “He’s a gentleman.”
The pair very much have that new relationship glow about them. They finish off each other’s sentences and playfully tease one another. Speaking to us from James’ Essex home, where Nicoline’s been living for the past six weeks, it’s clear she’s made herself at home already — pointing out her Christmas stocking on the fireplace behind her.
Reliving the fateful moment in July when he clapped eyes on Nicoline, James says he was worried she was out of his league but decided to take a chance. “I was walking to my gig at Elliott Wright’s restaurant in Marbella,” he recalls. “All of a sudden I see this woman coming towards me. I was like, ‘Wow, she’s beautiful.’ She was just in her gym clothes, wearing no make-up. She’d actually just fed a stray cat.”
“We both smiled and kind of giggled at each other. And Nicoline carried on walking. Then I thought, ‘What have I got to lose?’ So I turned around and said, ‘Hey’. Someone as beautiful as Nicoline, sometimes these sort of people are used to guys trying to talk to them and they’re not interested. But she was so friendly and made me comfortable.”Nicoline’s reaction was just as strong — likening their first encounter to a biblical moment.
“You know when Moses parts the water?” she asks. “This is how I saw James. The mountains were in the background, the sun was going down behind and then I see this handsome man with a big smile coming towards me.”
After a bit of gentle encouragement from Elliott to message her immediately, it was Nicoline who made the first move, sliding into James’ DMs on Instagram.
They went on their first date the following week, where they spoke non-stop for three hours, even forgetting to order food. James laid his cards on the table immediately, telling Nicoline about his past addiction issues and his staggering weight loss.
A drug user for seven years, he hit rock bottom in 2019 when he had two near-fatal drug overdoses, causing ex Gemma Collins, 43, to call police and paramedics to his house. He also faced a battle with obesity, peaking at a life-threatening 26st 13lb, which once left him unable to tie his shoelaces.
But Nicoline was unfazed by all of this. “When we sat down on our first date, I explained to Nicoline that I’m three years clean and sober,” he says.
“I’ve been through a lot over the years. I’ve been to rehab, I’ve had to get help. I also had to explain that I used to be morbidly obese, I was a big guy and I’ve lost a lot of weight. I’ve had an operation which has helped with my portion control. I have to eat little and often.
“It was probably quite a lot to take in, but she was really cool. She was fine about everything. Being open and honest and putting your cards on the table from the start is so important.”
Nicoline appreciated James’ honesty and listened intently with no judgement. “He’s been open, I’ve been open,” Nicoline says breezily. “We’ve been completely transparent. No secrets. I wanted to get to know him for him and nothing else. Everyone goes through something in life. It shapes you.”
Introducing himself as a party singer with his outfit The Arg Band, Nicoline had no idea of his television fame until that first date. Even now she’s never seen any of his vintage TOWIE footage.
“I didn’t Google him, I didn’t check him out,” she admits. “I’ve never seen a clip of him on TV.”
James smiles, “I explained to Nicoline I had done a lot of television over the last 14 years, but that I’m finally doing something I love now and I’ve put all my heart and soul into The Arg Band.”
Before meeting Nicoline — who won Miss World Sweden in 2011 and featured on TV show Survivor — James feared that he would never find The One.
He’d had failed romances with Lydia Bright, 33, and Gemma and most recently split with 20-year-old Italian law student Stella Turian. “I lost my confidence,” he admits. “I felt a bit sad. I was like, ‘Am I ever gonna meet anyone? Is it actually gonna happen?’ I started to think maybe I wasn’t going to find true love or settle down.”
But then Nicoline came along and brightened up his world. She is now his biggest fan — cheering him along every step of the way. “At every gig he does, I dance all night,” she giggles. “Sometimes with his mum! There’s nothing like the feeling when he’s up singing. I feel like the proudest person in the room.”
“I knew it was love when she actually liked my singing!” laughs James. Ever since their first date, they have been inseparable – travelling between Spain, France, Sweden and London.
On Nicoline’s first visit to his home county, James treated her to a proper Essex night out. He laughs, “She literally landed from Marbella, drove to my house, got ready and went straight to an Arg Band gig at Sheesh Chigwell. That is probably the most Essex night out you could possibly have!”
And he’s been introducing her to classic British fare. “I had my first English Sunday roast and sticky toffee pudding,” grins Nicoline. “I loved it. I said it’s my new favourite on Sundays.”
Nicoline has been welcomed with open arms into the TOWIE fold, too, meeting many of James’ good friends, including Mark Wright and Joey Essex.
“She’s met Mark a couple of times now,” he tells us. “At my gig and at the pub. So that was really nice. She hasn’t met Michelle [Keegan, Mark’s wife] yet, but I’m sure she will.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting Michelle,” says Nicoline excitedly. James adds, “Dan Edgar lives with me, so she sees him a lot and she’s giving him motivational talks ahead of Dancing On Ice. Tommy Mallet and Georgia Kousoulou came around a couple of weeks ago and we all had a takeaway at mine. And she’s met Joey.
“We went to the Dog and Pickle in Ongar with Ferne McCann and Danielle Armstrong and their families.”
Nicoline says, “They were all very welcoming, very open and warm and asking me questions. I wanted to know things about them. We shared lots of laughs.”
While she may be getting the full Essex treatment, fans of TOWIE won’t be seeing Nicoline make a cameo during the reality show’s Christmas special.
James is making his much-anticipated comeback after six years away in scenes to be aired this month. He insists it’s just a one-off, but says it was the perfect opportunity to show people just how far he’s come.
“Towards the end, I was really, really ill,” he recalls. “I finished the last series and I went away for months. I went to rehab to get better.
“It’s really nice, the fact that all these years later, I’ve got myself in a good position where I’m clean, sober, happy and healthy.
“It’s important not to forget where you’ve come from. TOWIE has given me so many amazing opportunities. “It’s just a one-off. I perform with my Arg Band. “It was a nice moment — seeing how far I’ve come — to go back to the place that kick-started everything.”
While a TOWIE return may not be on the cards, a reality show of their own hasn’t been ruled out.
“You never know,” teases James. “If we were to get engaged or start a family then we may do something. There’s always a possibility.”
So will marriage and children be on the horizon for the loved-up pair? “We’d both love to have a family one day, absolutely,” nods James.
“That’s one thing I love about James,” adds Nicoline. “He’s very family-oriented. Our families are so similar.”
James continues, “We’re both at the right stage in our lives. We’ve both lived a life, we’ve both had experiences with previous partners, but now it’s a really good time
to be sure of who you are with.”
Nicoline agrees, “Some people, they meet early on in their lives and some people meet later. Our paths were meant to meet at this point in our lives. I think we are meant to be.”
Looking ahead to the future with giddy anticipation, James and Nicoline have planned a romantic festive trip to Kew Gardens before spending Christmas apart.
“I will be performing on a cruise ship around the Canary Islands this year and Nicoline will be in Sweden with her family. But we will spend New Year together in Marbella.”
Next year they have big plans in mind. A possible move to Marbella and their first home together. “We do love Marbella so we’re potentially going to be settling there,” reveals James.
And he will be continuing with his music — including performing at pals Tommy and Georgia’s wedding in the summer. Now in a great place physically and mentally, Arg says Nicoline is helping him keep in top shape.
“I’m three years clean and sober. I’ve managed to maintain a healthy weight and a good relationship with exercise and food. Nicoline is really good at tennis so we want to play doubles. She’s going to get me into mindfulness and meditation.
“I’m feeling great. I have a job that I love, an amazing girl by my side — life couldn’t get any better. I’m no longer embarrassed or ashamed. I’m proud that I’ve come through the other side.”