TOWIE’s James Argent ‘is in advanced talks to join the Dancing On Ice line-up’

James ‘Arg’ Argent is reportedly already being line-up to appear on next year’s series of Dancing On Ice and is in ‘advanced talks’ with show bosses.

The TOWIE star, 32, will apparently have to undergo drugs tests to prove that he is clean after admitting to taking cocaine last month, according to the Sun.

James’ interest in the ice skating programme comes after his on/off girlfriend Gemma Collins appeared on the show last year with partner Matt Evers.

A source told the publication: ‘Dancing On Ice bosses are interested in Arg — he’s a lovely bloke and is a popular guy.

‘They think he shows real potential but obviously he needs to prove he’s serious about taking part.

‘His issues with drug use in the past have been well documented and there has been talk of him having to have drug tests if he signs up to the show to prove he is clean.

According to the insider, Arg has already said he would love to appear on the show and although he knows it will be hard he wants to give it a try.  

Last week Arg was pictured working on his balance by trying out a pair of roller skates, which is apparently preparation for his Dancing On Ice trial.

MailOnline have contacted representatives for Arg and Dancing On Ice. 

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.

He then checked himself into a 10-week bootcamp at The River rehab facility in Thailand 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.   

Speaking to The Sun, Arg, admitted he suffered two near-fatal overdoses at his home last year, and his girlfriend Gemma 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. 

‘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. 

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.