After James ‘Arg’ Argent was convicted on a domestic abuse charge, sources reveal Mark Wright is struggling with his emotions as he feels torn between his shamed best friend and wife Michelle
They recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary, months after welcoming their adorable baby daughter Palma in March. But despite their family bliss, there’s friction in Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan’s relationship over Mark’s close friendship with James ‘Arg’ Argent.
As Closer reported last week, fans were left shocked when former TOWIE star Arg, 37, made headlines for a terrifying attack on his now ex-girlfriend Nicoline Artursson. He was handed a six-month suspended sentence and issued with a two-year restraining order against fashion model Nicoline, 32, after he was reported to have shoved her down steps during a heated row outside her apartment in Spain. The court also ordered him to complete a course on gender violence.
Now, insiders reveal that Michelle, 37, wants husband Mark, 38, to ‘distance himself’ from his close pal. ‘Mark and Michelle are not seeing eye to eye over Arg. She’s told Mark that she has zero tolerance when it comes to domestic abuse, and she’s given him an ultimatum that as a dad to their daughter, he needs to set a good example,’ a source tells Closer.
‘Michelle not asking Mark to choose between them, as she’s saying it’s a no-brainer. Arg has got to get himself sorted, but Michelle has lost all respect for him.’
Mark and Arg have been close friends for 15 years, rising to fame on TOWIE together in 2010. Viewers watched their love lives play out on screen, with reformed Lothario Mark pursuing an on/off almost nine-year relationship with ex-fiancée Lauren Goodger until 2012. Similarly, Arg had his own bumpy eight-year dating history with Lydia Bright, before another rocky romance with Gemma Collins for another eight years until 2017.
But while Mark has settled down with actress Michelle after meeting in December 2012, Arg has had a troubled time. His long history of drug, alcohol and eating issues have been well-documented, and the star has admitted that his cocaine addiction rocketed around 18 months after he started on TOWIE. He also suffered two near-fatal overdoses.
In 2020, Mark revealed that he had threatened to cut ties with his best pal after he refused to go to rehab, as he feared Arg would die. ‘I said, “You’re not getting my help anymore, I’m done. I’m through with this, you’re not affecting my life anymore,”’ explained the TV presenter. ‘Obviously I didn’t mean that, but I had to scare him. Then, on Boxing Day, he texted me and said, “I’m ready, I’ve hit rock bottom.” So I booked [rehab] for him the next day – and he got on the plane and he went.’
Just last month, Mark was overjoyed by how well Arg was now doing, saying how proud he was of his friend’s rocketing singing career and opening up about the double dates they had enjoyed with their other halves. So it’s perhaps understandable that Mark feels torn between Arg and Michelle.
‘Mark has pleaded that Arg needs his support. He feels stuck between a rock and a hard place – he wants to publicly support Arg, but knows that could be damning for him and Michelle, and of course Mark was horrified by what Arg did,’ our source continues. ‘But Mark doesn’t want Arg to go down a mental health rabbit hole. He’s seen him go through so much and argues he’s come so far. Mark thinks he needs to be there for him – and stop him from doing something stupid.’
Earlier this month, witnesses reported seeing Arg and Nicoline row, with the singer throwing her clothes from a balcony before he pushed Nicoline down steps outside the apartment, leaving her ‘severely hurt’ and crying out for help. Neighbours called the police, but the reality star is then said to have continued to throw objects out of the apartment while she lay on the ground.
Nicoline was treated for her injuries in hospital, and last week they were revealed in a court document. It read, ‘The injured woman suffered several bruises to her neck, a bruise to her right forearm, several abrasions to her right arm, and abrasions to her right hand and on her right leg. The injuries she suffered healed in seven days on skin and soft tissue.’
Prosecutors reportedly wanted to charge Arg with wounding and were pushing for a nine-month jail sentence, but as part of a plea deal he agreed to admit the lesser offence of ‘mistreatment’.
It was a since-deleted Instagram post of Nicoline’s that allegedly sparked a row between her and Arg, who she started dating last July. The post is believed to have said in part, ‘Is it OK if your boyfriend or girlfriend is talking and hanging out with their ex and the ex’s family daily and liking their Instagram posts etc? No kids involved with the ex.’ It has been suggested that Arg believed the post was about Lydia, who he’s remained close to over the years.
After details of the incident emerged, Arg returned to work last week – singing with The Arg Band at London’s Connaught Rooms. But his carefree appearance was worlds away from the statement he gave after his sentencing – in which he confirmed he is still sober but is ‘devastated by what’s happened’.
Our source adds, ‘Mark is still trying to process the situation as he’s just so shocked by what happened. Meanwhile, Arg is back at work and putting on a front but, inside, he’s broken from his relationship breakdown.’
