Gemma Collins reveals horrifyingly cruel nickname she was called before going on fat jabs
GEMMA Collins has today revealed the horrifyingly cruel nickname she was called before going on fat jabs.
The TV favourite, 43, who has been open about her weight loss struggle in the past, revealed the cruelty she once suffered because of size.
Gemma has dropped four dress sizes and over two stone after turning to fat loss injections.
She previously said have she “tried almost every diet” with no success and after careful consideration she started taking GLP-1 weight loss injections under medical supervision.
Gemma has now revealed the cruel remarks she has faced over the years.
Speaking to The Mirror, she said: “I’m on those weight-loss injections at the minute.
“People used to call me ‘three-course Collins’ and now I can only eat one course. It’s really amazing.
“I want to be open with everything I do in my life. There’s no point in lying to the people who love me and that’s the public.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the public. I just always want to be transparent.”
WEIGHT LOST JABS
Earlier this month, the Towie OG opened up The Sun in a very candid interview, where she talked about her weight loss journey.
In our exclusive interview she revealed how through the jabs she hoped to be a size 16 by the summer.
“I can’t believe I’ve finally found something that works,” Gemma told us.
“I’ve lost nearly two stone already and it’s been completely effortless – I don’t even want to eat anymore!”
“I got on the scales and lost something like 6kg in my first week. I bet my house by May, I’ll have six stone off. And it’s been effortless.”
Opening up, Gemma candidly said: “I’ve struggled for many, many years to lose weight… All my life… I tried everything.”
“I can remember at school taking a tablet called Reductil… (an appetite suppressant which is now unavailable and was taken off the market).
“I’ve saved money being on Mounjaro, probably £1,500 a month on the weekly shop. My life doesn’t revolve around food any more.
“I was starving before, I would be suicidal on diets. That awful feeling of… ‘Have I got to spend the rest of my life in this toxic dieting chain?’
“I know that depression, upset and desperation. I’ve been weighing food portions and eating two boiled eggs a day for years.
“I don’t have that any more. No one understands unless they’ve been there too, but I’m excited for my future now.”
Gemma added: “This is a revolutionary, life-changing drug for someone who has struggled with weight their whole life.
“There’s all this pressure people don’t realise. A weight problem clouds your whole life.”
A source close to Gemma previously explained she had done thorough research before trying the jabs, and was taking the medication with expert guidance.
“She isn’t just focused on how she looks, this is about her wanting to be as healthy as possible and feel confident,” they told the Mirror.
“She’s still absolutely all about body positivity and embracing her body, there’s no change in that, but she wants to be healthy as well.”
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients’ sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients’ mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
GEMMA’S JOURNEY
Gemma has been gradually slimming down since 2019 but now appears to have found the best diet for herself.
Last year, she shared her disappointment over losing less than a pound in weight despite doing gruelling daily workouts.
Taking to Instagram, she shared a clip from a holiday and was wearing a brightly coloured bikini.
Although Gemma admitted her heart had been “ripped out” due to the lack of weight loss success, she vowed to keep going.
She wrote: “Against all odds and eating chicken for a whole week with water working out 2 hours a day and loosing a quarter
“Yes I repeat a quarter of a pound. My heart being ripped out why me, why can I master everything except weight loss?”