James ‘Arg’ Argent is returning to work, flying to his first singing gig in Malaga on Thursday, since leaving rehab.
The TOWIE star was pictured arriving at London’s Heathrow airport early in the morning to fly to his regular summer haunt in time for an evening gig at his friend Elliot Wright’s restaurant Olivia’s La Cala.
Arg showed off the results of his post-rehab health regime, looking slim after revealing that he’s recently lost over five stone in weight.
Come fly with me: James ‘Arg’ Argent is returning to work, flying to his first singing gig in Malaga on Thursday, since leaving rehab
The reality star looked in good spirits, smiling and waving at photographers as he carried two bags inside the terminal.
Dressed in a black hoodie and adidas shorts, Arg put a mask on as he stepped inside the airport and went to check in.
Thursday’s gig marks Arg’s first in Malaga post lockdown and after his rehab stint. The singer is a regular performer at his friend Elliot’s popular nightspot.
Arg recently admitted he is a cocaine addict and overdosed twice last year before hitting rock bottom over Christmas and calling his friend and former co-star Mark Wright for help.
Here we go! The TOWIE star was pictured arriving at London’s Heathrow airport early in the morning to fly to his regular summer haunt in time for an evening gig
He checked himself into a 10-week bootcamp at The River rehab facility in Thailand earlier this year where he kicked his habit and lost five stone in the process.
However, he still intends to lose another three stone and is already feeling ‘so much better in myself’.
The reality star now weighs roughly 18-and-a-half stone and blames his heaviness on his binge-eating disorder. He has previously spoken about the ‘vicious cycles’ of binge-eating and doing cocaine.
Back to work: Arg is due to perform at his friend Elliot Wright’s restaurant Olivia’s La Cala on Thursday night
Ready to fly: The reality star dressed casually for his flight and carried two bags inside the terminal
Speaking to The Sun, Arg, admitted he suffered two near-fatal overdoses at his home last year, and his girlfriend Gemma Collins called emergency services after his family feared he was dead.
Speaking about his first overdose in October which triggered paranoia and psychosis, Arg said: ‘I locked myself in my house and took drugs for three days straight on my own in the pitch black.’
Adding that he regularly spent £500 a week on his cocaine habit, Arg said of his first overdose: ‘I was at rock bottom. My heart was beating out of my chest, my nose was bleeding, I was shaking and my breathing was terrible.
Safety first: Dressed in a black hoodie and adidas shorts, Arg put a mask on as he stepped inside the airport and went to check in
Solo: Arg arrived at the airport on his own for the short flight to Spain, where he regularly spends the summer
Off we go: Arg headed to the British Airways check in the near-empty airport
‘My family were banging on the door screaming, ‘Open up’ but I wasn’t answering the door to anyone. They feared I’d overdosed and was dead in the house.’
It was Gemma who called the emergency services who forced the door. After tests it was agreed Arg did not need to go to hospital and could stay with his parents, but just two months later he overdosed again on the night before his 32nd birthday, as he admitted ‘my addiction was so bad I couldn’t stop myself.’
The second time he was hospitalised over fears for his heart, with Arg revealing that his worried friends took his phone away while he was in hospital in case he called his dealers.
Back on track: Arg recently admitted he is a cocaine addict and overdosed twice last year before hitting rock bottom over Christmas
Healthy: He checked himself into a 10-week bootcamp at The River rehab facility in Thailand earlier this year where he kicked his habit and lost five stone in the process
It was after he found himself alone on Christmas Day 2019 and using cocaine that he decided things had to change, calling Mark Wright for help.
Mark got his friend in touch with the owners of a Thailand boot camp, with Arg travelling there on New Year’s Eve, staying for ten weeks. He now attends an out patient facility near his Essex home regularly.
Arg also explained during the interview that he first dabbled in drugs when he first shot to fame with Mark in TOWIE, but his loved ones only found out he had a problem when he was declared missing in 2014, after failing to turn up for a flight to Majorca for a paid appearance.
Moving forward: Thursday’s gig marks Arg’s first in Spain since lockdown lifted