Loved-up James Argent's marriage bombshell as smitten star frolics on beach with former Miss Sweden

From unlucky in love to head over heels, James Argent is living his best life with Swedish girlfriend Nicoline Artursson - as a source claims he could be ready to take a huge step

They look like love’s young dream, smiling from ear to ear as they stroll down the beach together hand in hand, basking in the hot Caribbean sun. Yes, former TOWIE star James ‘Arg’ Argent and his stunning girlfriend, former Miss Sweden Nicoline Artursson, are still going strong – as they certainly couldn’t have looked more smitten with each other.

Enjoying an escape from the wintry weather in Britain, the couple, who began dating nine months ago after meeting by chance in a supermarket, were lapping up the sunshine at Sandy Lane, the resort beloved by celebrities in Barbados, after Arg whisked his other half away for a special birthday treat, reports OK!.

Not only did they look happier than ever, Arg, 37, looked in great shape in his swimwear following his impressive weight loss, while model Nicoline, 32, showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a barely-there white bikini. Posting a snap on his Instagram during their sun-soaked getaway of Nicoline with her arms wrapped around him, Arg captioned the post, “Happy Birthday My Love @nicolineartursson.”

And a source clams that appearances are not deceiving. “Arg is in such a great place and he’s really never been happier. He’s won against all the odds and has fought all his demons,” they say. “It’s been a lot of work but it’s all paid off and now he’s got someone who fully loves him for who he is, and appreciates the man he is today.” According to the source, Arg could even be gearing up to make the ultimate commitment to his other half.

They go on: “He’s totally smitten. He’s definitely looking to pop the question and start their future together,” they say. “He has absolutely no doubt that she is the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with, they are absolutely soulmates, there’s no question about it. And seeing his good friend Mark Wright and his wife Michelle Keegan so happy and expecting their first baby, it’s just a lovely sign to Arg of what his happy future might hold.”

Indeed, Arg confirmed in an exclusive interview last December that his and Nicoline’s relationship was no flash in the pan, revealing she had not only moved to the UK, but into his Essex pad to live with him. In their first joint interview as a couple, the pair confessed that theirs was “love at first sight” when they bumped into each other outside a supermarket in Spain, as James was headed to a gig with his band at Elliott Wright’s restaurant in Marbella.

Describing the moment that changed everything for him, Arg recalled sweetly, “I was walking to my gig. All of a sudden I see this woman coming towards me. I was like, ‘Wow, she’s beautiful’. She was just in her gym clothes, wearing no make-up. She’d actually just fed a stray cat.” And after plucking up the courage, despite admitting he felt Nicoline was “out of his league”, the former reality star asked her out. They went on a date a week later, during which Arg was very open about his weight loss via a gastric sleeve and his past addiction issues.

But it clearly didn’t deter the Swedish beauty, with the pair admitting they were so focused on each other at the restaurant they were at, they forgot to order any food. And the rest, as they say, was history. On Nicoline’s part, she described Arg as a “handsome man with a big smile” explaining that this, coupled with his ability to make her laugh, were the traits that had her falling for him.

It’s a lovely turnaround for Arg, who last Valentine’s Day was in a very different place, and admitted he was lonely and “really struggled” on the day of love – which came following his split from law student girlfriend Stella Turian the previous November, after a year of dating. As he explained on the My Dirty Laundry podcast, “Everything in my life is perfect, apart from my love life. It would be nice if that would change. [On social media] everyone’s madly in love. Everyone’s happy. Everyone’s out on dates. And yeah, it did start to affect me.”

Thankfully, this coming Valentine’s Day James seems to have found his person, and will have Nicoline to shower with love. If their romantic display in Barbados is anything to go by, they’re in it for the long haul. And the way these two are going – who knows, there could even be a romantic proposal on the cards very soon.