On September 6, Gemma Collins went to Instagram thanking her fans for voting her No.1 I.C.O.N and says her time on TOWIE holds “dear memories”.

The reality star, 39 appeared in the 10th anniversary special which looked back at highlights from the show.

To say thank you to her fans for voting her number one icon, Gemma posted a video to her Instagram wearing a sweatshirt printed with ‘01 ICON’ – which is available to buy through her clothing line.

The heartfelt message delivered to fans, explains that brands would refused to lend her clothing to wear on the show because she was “too fat”.

Gemma said: “I was never the prettiest girl on the show. I never had the best body.

“Obviously I was confident when I went on the show, but a lot of clothing brands wouldn’t lend me their clothing because they said I was too fat.

“I was a size 14/16, and you know I’m bigger now, and basically I’ve got my own clothing brand. So to everyone who wouldn’t lend me clothing or put me in their brands, what you got to say now, huns?”

It is at this point Gemma gives two fingers to the companies that refused to dress her.

Gemma has received overwhelming support from her fans, one said: “You won it because out of all the girls on TOWIE you were the most comfortable in your skin.”

Another said: “We’ll done Gemma. Stuff the clothing brands, you look great now!”

Since her first appearance on TOWIE in 2011, Gemma has become a popular reality TV presence, become the star of her own spin-off show Diva Forever and has her own plus-size clothing line, Gemma Collins Collection.