HE cheated on her multiple times, sent her abusive messages and at one point she told him: “I despise you".
Yet to the confusion of millions of Towie fans who have followed their journey from lovers, to enemies, and now the best of friends, Lydia Bright is sticking by James Argent after he violently assaulted his Swedish girlfriend Nicoline Artursson.
A friend who knows both Lydia and Arg very well tells The Sun: “When it comes to what happened with Arg and Nicoline, Lydia would never condone violence and has made that very clear to James, but she doesn't think that he is a violent man and she knows he deeply regrets the events of that night.
"She has stuck by him, even though she doesn't agree with his actions - just as his other mates like Mark Wright have."
Caught in the crossfire
Lydia found herself publicly dragged into the fallout when a deleted instagram post from Nicoline, shared in the hours before the assault, appeared to take aim at her.
Nicoline’s social media message - deleted after she posted it to her 32,000 followers around 10:44pm on May 4 - read: “Is it OK if your boyfriend is talking and hanging out with their ex and the family daily and liking their Instagram posts?
The post continued: “Then your partner blames you for seeing it, now the ex is supposedly their “best friend”. If you're in a serious relationship you've got to respect your partner and leave the past in the past.”
Hours after she deleted the message, disgraced James got into an explosive row with Nicoline and pushed her down some stairs at her apartment in La Cala de Mijas on the Costa del Sol.
Quickly arrested and brought to court, Argent received a six-month suspended prison sentence for domestic abuse and was banned from contacting Nicoline.
He pleaded guilty to “mistreating” the former Miss Sweden, who was taken to hospital with horrific injuries.
But while many would forgive Lydia for running a mile from her friendship with Arg after this latest scandal, she has remained loyal because, as those in her inner circle tell the Sun, the pair are "more than just mates, they're like family."
Why Lydia stayed loyal
A pal reveals: “James and Lydia went through a lot when they were young and in a relationship but despite all the drama - they have stayed the closest of friends.
“There have been rocky moments, but they’ve both grown up together and there’s a bond between them that can’t be broken.
“They think of themselves as being kids on Towie, young and silly. Now they’re adults and support each other.
“James is very much seen as part of her extended family and is very close to her mum, Debbie, and sister Romana. Their families are very tight knit."
Indeed, Lydia becoming a mum to her daughter Loretta, five, who she shares with her ex, Lee Cronin, has only brought her closer with James - who is said to be ‘like an uncle’ to the little girl.
Our insider adds: “James was thrilled when Lydia became a mum and loves to spend time with her little girl Loretta – he absolutely dotes on her and loves treating her. He wants children one day and is very paternal, like an uncle."
His darkest hours
Lydia has also been Arg’s rock at every testing time in his life including his long battle with obesity and drug addiction.
When he revealed that he feared eating himself to death as his weight skyrocketed to 27st during his lowest ebb, later enduring several stints in rehab, Lydia was always there for him.
“Lydia's been a constant to James during his struggles with his weight and when he was losing himself to drugs," says a pal.
“She’s only ever wanted the best for James and when he’s been at rock bottom, she’s always been there to lift him back up.
"She sees the best in him - and knows what he's really like as a person and says he has a very good heart."
Of course, those in James and Lydia's orbit often thought the childhood sweethearts would one day find their way back to each other romantically.
“There was a time when people thought James wanted Lydia back - it’s obvious he does think about what their life could have been like if they stayed together.
“But that ship has sailed - James values the friendship so highly, it’s the same for her.
“They speak regularly and see each other as much as they can - it’s the same with James with Lydia’s family. He’ll pop in for a cuppa with Debbie and she sees him like a surrogate son.”
The list of women he cheated with
Arg and Lydia’s love story started off screen nearly two decades ago when they were teens and their drama-filled romance made legendary TV on the ITVBe show - gripping viewers with its constant twists and turns.
Both were OG cast members and viewers were completely gripped by their love story.
During one iconic episode he bought her Mr Darcy for Christmas - a pet ‘micro’ pig which ended up growing to full size.
At one point, the couple were engaged and planned to move in together but were hit by a series of cheating scandals and fall outs - in one scene Arg had to read a list of people he'd cheated with.
He admitted kissing Amy Childs and bedding Gemma Collins and Lydia, on the same day, on a jaunt to Marbella.
Even after multiple breakups (Arg's addictions were blamed for their many woes), they managed to maintain a friendship spanning 18 years.
Fat jibes
But there’s been a dark side to their union. James was accused of sending vile messages to Lydia, calling her a "sl*t" for sleeping with someone else, after their breakup in 2012.
He was later exposed for sending Gemma a series of abusive fat-shaming texts -reportedly referring to her as a "fat joke of a woman," saying she had "more rolls than Greggs."
As late as 2020, Gemma revealed Arg had called her a "hippo" and a "fat f**k" when she shared screenshots of the vile abuse on Instagram.
Lydia also spoke about Arg controlling her during their time together saying: ‘‘He could be so jealous and in the end it killed me.
“He was suffocating me and holding me back. He was insecure. He got so scared he was going to lose me he’d say, ‘I can’t let you do this and I can’t let you do that’.
“He didn’t even like me going out and every time I did, it was a drama.”
'Sad, lost and insecure'
During one scene Lydia told him that she hated him saying: "I don't want us to ever be friends. I don't want you to speak to my friends and family. You made me hate you. When I look at you, I despise you."
And she insisted he was “sad, lost and insecure.”
"We were getting a house, getting engaged, but nothing was ever enough for you,” she told him. "I tried to hold your hand through life, I gave you everything.
"It's really sad because you give this front that you're this really happy person, loveable Arg but there's something in you that is so sad and lost and insecure.”
Friends of the pair insist, however, that this is all water under the bridge and has only made the former couple’s bond even stronger.
“Lydia and Arg have been through it all together. They have seen the best of each other, but also the worst of each other, but it’s cemented an unbreakable bond between them.
“There is a deep love there that goes beyond any romantic relationship and they will always have each other’s back. Lydia might not always agree with everything Arg does, and he has hurt her many times over the years, but she will always be there for, through thick and thin.”
