Gemma Collins overjoyed as her dad, 73, leaves hospital to celebrate her 40th birthday after Covid battle

, Gemma shared: "My dad comes home this week, so it's the best birthday I could wish for.

"Yes, I can’t have the party that was planned. I had arranged so many singers to come to a venue I booked last year.

"That's not going to happen but it doesn’t matter because my dad has survived Covid."

She continued: "They actually called my dad the miracle man in hospital.

"My dad is 73 and he's a very fit man, however Covid really ripped through my family and it was just so heartbreaking. It was so heartbreaking to see my dad fighting for his life."

Despite spending her special day in lockdown, the GC went on to reveal her exciting plans.

The Towie star added: "I've ordered myself a huge cake. The fact that I can sit with my dad eating cake on my birthday is absolutely priceless.

"I've ordered three large French fancies. They are my favourite cake in the whole wide world and Battenberg.

"I didn’t want to be too greedy. My birthday wish is just to be so happy with what I've got."

She later added: "I just want to wish for eternal happiness."

Sadly, Gemma's original plans for a 48-hour party were scrapped, which included "garage singers" and "every cuisine from around the world".

Meanwhile, Gemma was previously told her dad Alan "might not make it" after contracting the deadly bug alongside wife Joan.

It came after Gemma shared a heartbreaking snap of herself holding her dad's hand as he lay sick in hospital just before Christmas.

Opening up on her podcast last week, she said: "It literally tears you apart.

"Our house is not the same without my dad and it has been such a scary time because we just haven’t known how he was going to be. And if he was going to make it...

"There were moments where we all had to have the chat about you know what if dad doesn’t pull through."