Exclusive
GATSBY-E
Towie’s Liam ‘Gatsby’ Blackwell opens up about mum Nikki leaving for LA in Sunday’s emotional episode and death of his father saying ‘I hope she finds a new man’
TOWIE’s Liam ‘Gatsby’ Blackwell has revealed his mum is looking for a new man in Los Angeles after she left Essex in Sunday’s emotional episode.
He wants her to find a partner in America almost 20 years after his dad died when he was just ten.
12
12
Fans were in tears as Nikki hugged her son and waved goodbye to him at the airport to join her family across the pond.
Gatsby, 28, opened up to the Sun’s Bizarre column in an exclusive emotional chat.
He said: “She hasn't been with anyone else since my dad because she didn't want anyone to get in the way of us kids. She wanted us to have a good upbringing and any other guy to get in the way. I really, really want her to find a partner.
“My cousins are going to set her up on some dates, some dating websites whilst she's out there, so fingers crossed.”
12
12
12
After his dad’s five year battle with cancer came to an end in 1998, his mum Nikki was forced to bring up him and his younger brother and sister – who have now graduated from University of California Los Angeles and become a lawyer respectively.
He says he had to become the ‘man of the house’ and it made him who he is today.
12
12
12
And he revealed he thinks about him every day.
Gatsby said: “It was devastating. It has been hard without a father figure in my life. But it's made me a man. I'm the man of the house.
“Ten years old - you don't really understand it. If someone passed away today it'd affect me a lot more.
“Every day I miss him. But you've just got to get on with him.
“On her own she brought all of us up. She's done really, really well.
“She's done everything for us, she gave up her life. The last 20 years to make us successful and do.”
12
12
The former West Ham academy footballer has previously said he could have been a top footballer.
But he told the Sun after his dad, who was a shareholder at Leyton Orient, died it deteriorated.
He said: “My dad used to take me - rain, snow, sunshine, whatever.
“After he passed away I carried it on a while longer but it just wasn't the same.”
12
12
He faced with a Christmas alone but luckily pal Tommy Mallett, boyfriend of Georgia Kousoulou, and his dad invited him round on December 25.
Gatsby said: “She's only just gone, I am finding it quite hard. With it being Christmas it makes it ten times harder.
MORE FROM THE VILLA
“It's the first time living on my own, so I'm just trying to get used to it. I really, really do miss her. But now, I've just got to grow up.
“Mallett has invited me round to his house and his dad invited me. So I'm going to Malletts for Christmas thankfully.
“That was nice of him to invite me.”
Towie's Gatsby cries as he remembers his late dad while visiting Leighton Orient
Topics