Gemma Collins has stunned her fans by sharing a throwback snap of herself and her mum to mark proud mother Joan’s birthday.
The 41-year-old former The Only Way Is Essex star paid a gushing tribute to her mum Joan on Monday as they prepared to embrace an entire day of celebrations.
Gemma is the daughter of hairdresser mum Joan and businessman dad Alan – who works in the shipping industry.
And on Monday, The GC shone a spotlight on her mother to highlight that it was her birthday by sharing a photo of the occasional TV star looking incredible in her youth dressed in jodhpurs, riding boots and a simple sleeveless white top while posing in a field.
Gemma herself was also in the photo wearing a pair of pink shorts and squinting in the bright summer sunshine.
Uploading the snap to her main Instagram feed, Gemma wrote: “Happy birthday to my beautiful mum you are a very special person who I love very much ….
“You are going to be spoilt today honey cause it’s your birthday!!! Anything mother wants she gonna get because you deserve it.”
Fans were quick to wish Joan very happy returns, with one writing in the comments section: “Happy birthday Joan aka The JC.”
Another typed: “Happy birthday beautiful mommy.”
While another fan wrote: “hope you have a lovely day” – while yet another typed: “Beautiful photo Enjoy celebrating with your mam.”
Gemma recently opened up about her hopes of starting a family with her 44-year-old fiancé Rami Hawash – but shared her fears becoming a mother could see her relapse into self harming.
In her bold documentary, Self Harm and Me, Gemma shared her past struggles with self harm and says it is something she fears could come back.
In scenes showing the star talking about her future with Rami, Gemma expressed her plan to become a mum herself.
She said: “In the back of my mind, because obviously we do want to go on to have a baby and stuff and I feel very happy with you and very settled with you, and I think always in the back of my mind you think, 'Oh sh*t is it gonna come back?'"
And she is later shown saying: "Because I now want to go on to have a family and stuff, I suppose there's just a part of me... you hear about people have post natal depression, I don't ever want it to come back."
Meanwhile, last week Gemma was left shocked at the damage Storm Eunice did to her Essex property.
Sharing footage online after the 100mph winds had ceased, Gem showed fences had been destroyed and possessions had been blown over.
She said: "The place has been absolutely blown to pieces. I have fence panels down, it's really bad.
"The only thing that has survived the storm was the (huge wooden) elephant, thank goodness.
"My beautiful trees have been blown around, and my gnome - oh my god."
The star had been left without power due to the storm and said she had been unable to watch the news to find out what had been happening – but was grateful she was able to charge her phone in her car.
