We reported not long ago how The Only Way Is Essex star, Gemma Collins, was planning on whisking her co-star boyfriend, James Argent, off to Las Vegas to marry her next month (read original article here).

After her drunken declaration a source close to her fella basically said that Arg wouldn’t marry Gemma in a million years, but now it would seem that half a million pounds might do the trick!

According to reports in Now magazine, the larger than life overbearing and controlling (we mean loving) James Argent has come out and said that he would consider marrying his blonde girlfriend if he were to receive £500,000 to do so (we aren’t entirely sure who he is expecting to pay him to do this, but Gemma – don’t you feel special?)

There has reportedly been a video leaked of the Dean Martin-wannabe telling friends that he would bite the bullet and marry Gem, who he has only just been able to admit he is seeing, as long as there is a check worth half a million with his name on it!

The publication claims to have seen the video of Arg saying: “I don’t want to get married [but] give me half a mill in my account.

“I can guarantee the first TOWIE wedding will go for half a mill. I’d rather do it so you’d think we’re married, but we’re not.”

What a lucky, lucky girl Gemma is!

A rep for James has been approached for comment and Gemma’s rep has “no comment” on the claims.

Watch Gemma Collins defending her lovely bloke over the recent cheating allegations their relationship has endured in the short months they have been together in the clip below: