So why IS disgraced James Argent still in Mark & Michelle's inner circle? Pals reveal truth after secret hol & ultimatum
And indeed, pics from their recent holiday showed friends and family, but Arg conpsicuously absent - as behind the scenes the couple have been grappling with the fallout from the devastating attack.
10
10
As Arg continues to try and make amends for shoving his former partner, Nicoline Artursson, down a flight of stairs in Spain in May, Mark and Michelle have been quietly rallying round him, with insiders telling us they see this as 'a really sad situation' but it was 'never in question' they'd support him.
The proof comes in a new image of Arg, 37, seen in the background of a TikTok video that Mark's sister, Natalya, shared from a friends and family holiday to a luxury resort in Andalusia, Spain.
It was the first time he'd been pictured in the company of the Wrights - including Mark and Michelle with their four-month-old daughter Palma - since the attack, leading to speculation that they had taken him under their wing as he dealt with the fallout of the assault.
But it appeared clear from the holiday snaps and videos taken by the Wrights that Arg's presence, although welcome, wasn't one Michelle and Mark wanted to be conspicuous following his plunge from grace.
And Michelle is said to be cautious, insisting that she doesn't want any bad influences around her daughter.
'Stern words'
A source told us: 'Arg is basically Mark's family, it was never in question he'd support him, though of course he was completely unimpressed by everything that went down between Arg and Nicoline.
'Mark put his head in his hands when it all came out, mainly because he knows he's stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Arg is his best friend, and there is a lot of loyalty there, but Mark has a respected career and now a daughter - he absolutely doesn't condone violence towards women.
"There's been some stern words behind closed doors - tough love, you could say - but ultimately Mark and Michelle will be there for Arg as he continues to try to make amends for the hurt he's caused.'
Indeed Michelle, who met Arg through Mark, is said to be 'devastated' by Arg's actions.
The source continued: 'It's all so close to home and she has grown to love Arg like family, so she was devastated and incredibly disappointed, especially now she has Palma.
'She absolutely will not have her daughter around anyone or anything she feels is unsuitable or unsavoury. But she knows the real Arg and will stand by him.'
However, this isn't the first time Arg has put his pals in a tricky predicament. Both Mark, 38, and Arg have spoken openly about the strain Arg's demons have put on their friendship.
Just over ten years ago, Mark warned Arg that he would be banned from his and Michelle's 2015 wedding if he didn't clean up his act. At the time, TOWIE star Arg was suspended from the show over his self-confessed 'wild partying'.
He also admitted to mistreating his then-girlfriend, Lydia Bright.
It was then that Mark stepped in, prompting Arg to seek help and enter rehab in Christmas 2014.
Arg later recalled: 'Mark told me I wasn't invited to his wedding if I didn't change. But when I went into rehab, he got in touch because he was so proud of me.'
However, rehab wasn't the permanent fix Arg's loved ones had hoped for, and in 2020, Mark revealed he'd threatened to cut him off again, after Arg's cocaine use spiralled out of control.
10
10
Speaking on Loose Women, Mark explained how desperate the situation had become.
Mark said: 'I text him and said, 'you're not affecting my life anymore, I'm done'. Obviously I didn't mean that. I said that to scare him.'
It worked. Arg messaged Mark later to tell him he'd reached 'rock bottom'.
'On Boxing Day he texted me and said: 'I'm ready. I've hit rock bottom. I need to go to rehab'. I got on the phone to a rehab centre I researched in Thailand and then I booked it for him the next day and he got on a plane and he went.'
'Rock bottom'
Arg went on to get sober and lose 13 stone in weight thanks to a gastric sleeve.
Mark expressed his admiration for his friend, telling the press he was 'so, so proud of Arg.'
And he and Michelle, 38, love to affectionately rib him when they can.
Last year, Michelle hilariously revealed that Arg was banned from using the toilet in their lavish Essex mansion after he 'destroyed it'.
With so much water under the bridge - and with Arg copping to his bad behaviour, accepting a six-month suspended sentence for the assault on Nicoline - our source doesn't believe that Mark will take the same stance as before and threaten to cut him off.
And Mark and Michelle clearly have the backing of their family, including Mark's mum Carol and sister Jess.
There's been lots of talking and apologising - Arg knows if anything like this ever happened again, the family won't be so forgiving.
Source
Allowing him to join the holiday group for a day at the prestigious La Reserva Club Sotogrande in Spain in early June was a clear sign of the rehabilitation underway.
Lying on a lounger by the pool, Arg looked trim and relaxed on what he would regard as a much-need break with friends.
Markedly however, there were no posed pictures, despite Michelle, Mark and sister Natalya posting a series of sweet snaps from the day.
The source said: 'Arg has made it clear he's devastated and apologises for letting everyone down and as a result the Wrights have rallied around him.
'There's been lots of talking and apologising - Arg knows if anything like this ever happened again, the family won't be so forgiving. But while they really do see this as an isolated incident and a really sad situation, he'll definitely have to tread carefully if he wants to stay in favour going forward.'
10
10
Last month, Arg was pictured at the wedding of former TOWIE co-stars Georgia Kousolou and Tommy Mallett and prior to that he celebrated pal Megan McKenna's nuptials too.
'The Essex crowd are a tight-knit group of friends and they will all look out for each other,' the source continued. 'People outside of his circles are disgusted with Arg but those that know him are definitely stepping up to show their support, it's not just Mark and Michelle.'
One person who is far from impressed, however, is Nicoline.
After Arg was sentenced, the Swedish model, 32, released a bombshell 800-word statement, blasting his behaviour.
Nicoline wrote: 'I have cried so many tears thinking about the way he chose to hurt me. He said he loved me and I believed him and here we are. There is now a legal record of what happened. Violence has no excuse - no matter how much love preceded it.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Why England and Spain's unique rivalry goes beyond the Euro 2025 final
At kick-off in the Euro 2025 final, England and Spain will be rivals. But before and after, many will be friends and allies, united by a common cause. Keira Walsh is determined to win on Sunday, to become a two-time European champion as part of the first-ever England team to defend a title at a major international tournament. But Walsh also wants Spain to enjoy their moment, to make up for what was lost. Spain will undoubtedly enjoy the occasion more if they beat England to add to their World Cup triumph, but Walsh was aware of the wider meaning. England's players were hurt after their World Cup final defeat to Spain in 2023; though what followed in Sydney was the greater injustice. Spain's victory was overshadowed by Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso without her consent during their trophy celebrations. 'I don't think, for them, there was enough spotlight on how incredible they played and how incredible some of their players were,' Walsh said. 'It was all about the other stuff that had gone on.' Spain's stars lamented that there was not enough change in the country after winning the World Cup, now the focus is solely on them and the unique control they can bring to the pitch. 'They play incredible football and they deserve to be there,' said Walsh. 'As a human being I just want them to go out and just enjoy the game.' Walsh's two and a half years with Barcelona mean she has a deeper connection with several members of the Spain squad. When she felt homesick, the Spain captain Irene Parades would invite the midfielder to her family home for dinner. She grew close with many of their stars, such as Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey. But England stood as a collective with Spain after the World Cup final, even if they had not shared a dressing room or spent time as teammates. The Lionesses felt Spain were robbed of the boost they received by winning the Euros in 2022. There is respect and admiration on both sides, in understanding that their role as players is not just what happens on the pitch but in leaving the game in a better place from where they found it. England used their platform to call for social change after winning the Euros, while Spain have made sacrifices to fight for what they deserve. Patri Guijarro sat out of the last World Cup in protest of unequal treatment. Now Spain's players have seen improvements off the pitch, Guijarro is back and has been the best holding midfielder at the Euros. Sarina Wiegman has previously spoken of the relationship between England and Spain as an example of the 'special community' in the women's game, where both sides are aware of their higher purpose. After the Rubiales scandal, Spain took a stand with Se acabo, a #MeToo movement in Spanish football and beyond. Wiegman has similarly empowered England to use their voices, as seen during the Euros by the defiant response of the team following the racist abuse suffered by Jess Carter. England have supported Spain even as they have emerged as the dominant force and their battles on the pitch have grown. After the World Cup, Spain learnt their talent was not enough to stop what happened to them with Rubiales, but the changes within the Spanish Football Federation mean there is now nothing to hold them back from expressing their joyful, flowing passing. It is on the pitch and in their respective playing styles where there is the clearest contrast between Spain and England, who embraced 'proper England' for the first time in a rugged, disciplined 1-0 win at Wembley in February – the last time the world champions lost a match. The blueprint Arsenal used to dethrone Barcelona in May's Champions League final in Lisbon is one that England may need to replicate. Arsenal were organised off the ball and committed to frustrating the world's best players, while they took their chance when it came. There was also a bit of needle in the heat of the moment, with Chloe Kelly involved as she pushed Alexia Putellas off the ball. Barcelona's stars will also remember that pain, with Bonmati particularly devastated after the defeat. There will be many of the same players involved in Basel, with the links between England and Spain also illustrated by the success of Arsenal and Barcelona in growing the game domestically and across Europe. Arsenal and Barcelona have become the two best-supported women's teams in the world, and in Switzerland during Euro 2025 there have been as many 'Williamson' and 'Russo' or 'Aitana' and 'Alexia' club shirts as some national sides. There may as well be two other teams in the Euro 2025 final, to go along with England and Spain. Within that, there is also the connecting influence of Caldentey, who swapped Barcelona for Arsenal last summer and ended up taking the Champions League with her from Catalonia to north London. Caldentey's winning mentality, forged at Barcelona, influenced an Arsenal team who had consistently failed to win the biggest prizes. It was said Caldentey brought a 'contagious' mindset that 'moved the culture forward' - that feeling is still fresh in the England squad, through its sizable Arsenal contingent. Walsh and Lucy Bronze, meanwhile, can bring insight into the opposition after their time at Barcelona. When playing in midfield with Bonmati and Putellas, Walsh was expected to play short passes all the time, to the extent that she experienced something of a reverse culture shock when she returned to England and signed for Chelsea in January. She admitted she had 'lost' her ability to play long but it has returned at the Euros, where most of England's success has come when they have mixed it up and gone direct. The Lionesses are technical and can play too - but not like Spain, no one can. Instead, England have taken pride in their resilience throughout the Euros, in knowing they are never beaten. 'They can do the same,' Walsh said, after Spain also came through extra time in their semi-final to beat Germany. It is another reason for England to admire Spain, as well as another hurdle to overcome when they meet as rivals on Sunday.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Keira Walsh wants more protection for players from online abuse
Keira Walsh has called for more protection against online abuse after her England team-mate Jess Carter was the target of racist vitriol on social media at Euro 2025. Carter announced she would be stepping away from the platforms for the remainder of the tournament ahead of England's dramatic 2-1 semi-final comeback against Italy to set up Sunday's final showdown with Spain. Walsh came off social media after the 2019 World Cup, when reading negative comments contributed to the midfielder genuinely entertaining the thought of quitting football. 'I think it's just a personal preference,' said Walsh, who did return to the networks, but has – bar a single post – been inactive on X since 2020. Lately, her Instagram account has solely been comprised of tagged posts by the Lionesses, or her respective current and former clubs Chelsea and Barcelona. 'I haven't had social media for the best part of four or five months, and I feel a lot better most of the time,' said Walsh. 'I don't really know what's going on outside of camp. I think at the time, with what's going on, probably more people have come off it, but I can only speak for myself. 'I think obviously the girls are smart enough to know what they should and shouldn't be looking at, and I'm sure they'll know what is going to put them in a good headspace and what isn't. 'Do I think there's enough protection on social media? No, I don't, but I'm not going to be able to change that. That's not up to me, but I think just in general, people can be more protected on social media, and I think we can do more to stop that from happening.' England defender Lucy Bronze has warned companies that athletes can 'thrive' without their services, but the reality remains that in the women's game – where new Arsenal recruit Olivia Smith just became the first £1 million player – brand-building on social media can be a lucrative tool for players earning nowhere near their male equivalents. Carter's case has now been referred to UK police, and, in a statement released Sunday, Football Association CEO Mark Bullingham vowed his organisation will 'ensure those responsible for this hate crime are brought to justice'. One feature of the Online Safety Act, which received royal assent in October 2023, places a greater onus on social media companies to protect users from illegal content. Companies can be fined up to £18 million, or 10 per cent of their global revenue, if they fail to comply with their duties, but Ofcom – which is implementing the act in a phased approach – has only been able to enforce against the Illegal Harms Codes since March 17, 2025. 'I think we would have liked it to have been stronger in some cases,' said Bullingham. 'There's a real risk that if we're not firm in how the act is implemented, it won't be as strong as we hope. 'I think now it's incumbent on Ofcom to make sure they really do bring those responsible for running social media platforms to account and I haven't seen huge progress in the last couple of years. We would like to see it now.' Foreign social media companies operating within the UK are still beholden to the act, but prosecuting individuals living outside the country responsible for abusive content – which is not uncommon – remains a huge hinderance to justice. Bullingham added: 'If you look at the prosecution, obviously we can only work with the UK police, generally. There are, when we work with some of the companies that support us, there are occasions where you can prosecute outside the UK, but it's really hard and generally really expensive.' The FA chief said his organisation has engaged in productive conversations with FIFA and UEFA, encouraging them to put pressure on social media companies to prevent harmful content from appearing in the first place. He added: 'But where there are occasions, make sure we can prosecute. And we do think that people who perpetrate these hate crimes should be prosecuted wherever they are in the world.'
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Jay Slater's final words are revealed as friend tells inquest he called her from the 'middle of the mountains' as his phone ran out of battery - before his body was later found at bottom of ravine in Tenerife
Jay Slater's final words have been revealed as his friend told an inquest he called her from the 'middle of the mountains' before his phone ran out of battery. The 19-year-old, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, had been to the NRG music festival with friends at the Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas when he went missing in June last year. When Jay refused to go home after a night out, according to his friend Lucy Law, she got a taxi home with her friend Mr Hodgson. Ms Law - who gave evidence remotely via an autolink - said the next thing she heard was a phone call from Mr Hodgson at 8.30am which woke her up. He told her Jay was 'in the middle of nowhere' and his phone was on one per cent battery. Her first reaction was that he was 'having me on' but Mr Hodgson insisted he was being 'serious'. She called Jay, speaking to him for just over two minutes. Asked by the coroner about their conversation, Ms Law said she asked him: 'What on earth are you doing, where are you?' He replied: 'I'm just in the middle of the mountains.' Saying there are 'mountains everywhere' in Tenerife, Ms Law said: 'I'm panicking, his phone's on 1 per cent.' She said Jay said he needed a drink and asked: 'Are cactuses poisonous or what?' 'I said cactuses are the least of your worries. 'You need to go back to wherever you've just come from and stay there.' But she said Jay refused, saying 'I can't go back there'. Ms Law said she didn't believe the reason Jay wouldn't go back to the Airbnb was that 'something bad' had happened there as he would have mentioned it. 'He was telling me all the problems about his leg and needing a drink. 'I feel if there was something else going on in the Airbnb he probably would have said. 'I feel if there was a reason, some conflict… he probably would have said that first.' Ms Law agreed that the drugs Jay had taken would have affected his decision-making and made him 'more confident'. Ms Law said that on the evening before Jay disappeared - June 16 - she had been watching the England match with Mr Hodgson. Later they were joined by Jay and Mr Geoghegan. She said Jay was 'visibly intoxicated' but not 'in a state'. Both she and Mr Geoghegan went back to their apartments after the football to change, she said. At around midnight they met up with Jay and Mr Geoghegan outside Papagayo for the last night of the festival. Ms Law said the club was 'very busy' inside, 'quite hot' and overcrowded. Asked by the coroner about Jay's demeanour at that point, she said he had clearly 'taken something' but was not 'visibly mangled'. Jay was 'always on a buzz', she added. At around 2am Jay said he was going to the toilet and the bar. When he hadn't returned after about half an hour she went to look for him but could not see him anywhere in the nightclub, she said, and he didn't reply to phone messages. Ms Law said she and her friends left Payagayo at around 2am to look for Jay on Veronica's Strip, saying he was a 'social butterfly' who might have befriended a different group of people. She said Jay sent messages naming other venues he had gone to, but she drew a blank each time she tried to find him. Asked by the coroner why she was so 'worried', Ms Law said she had been to Tenerife several times and 'I wouldn't want any of my mates roaming around on their own'. She was questioned about a message she sent Jay asking where he was, adding: 'If you're not there this time I'm going to be f****** fuming.' Ms Law said Jay kept replying saying where he was 'and then vanishing into thin air'. Finally while she was ordering food from the Magic Mike's takeaway she was forwarded a Snapchat image showing where Jay was. She said she called him and ordered: 'Stay there and don't move.' While Mr Hodgson waited for her food order she ran back to the Strip and found Jay at the bottom of some steps. Ms Law said she told him: 'I've been looking for you for ages.' 'He was laughing his head off,' she added. Ms Law said she told Jay they had 'all been worried about you'. 'He found the whole situation funny.' She said Jay told her: 'There's no way I'm going home.' By now she wanted to go back to her apartment, so she and Mr Hodgson got a taxi while Mr Geoghegan went to meet Jay. Asked by the coroner if she had the impression Jay was 'frightened' in any way, she replied: 'Definitely not.' 'He was just enjoying his night as he usually would.'
