Exclusive:
James Argent was pictured in a black suit as he performed as part of his band Arg Band days after it was revealed he was arrested for domestic violence in Spain
James Argent performs Madness song at charity bash
Former TOWIE star James Argent has been pictured performing back on stage days after it was revealed he was arrested in Spain over an alleged assault on his girlfriend.
He made a return to the spotlight on Friday night at a charity bash. He was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting to pushing Nicoline during an argument during their trip to La Cala de Mijas.
Dressed in a dinner suit with bow tie, he performed with The Arg Band at a glitzy charity boxing gala. The ex-TOWIE favourite, 36, was all smiles as he took to the stage at the Wickers Charity Ball in London, crooning for a packed crowd raising funds to tackle knife crime.
Putting the recent drama on the Costa Del Sol behind him, he put on a high-energy show to a packed crowd.
A source said: “Arg didn’t address his recent troubles. He just did the gig like he normally would.”
Fans danced along to his set and queued up for selfies with the reality star-turned-wedding singer, who was pictured posing with a few of them.
Argent returned to work for the first time since news of the assault came to light.
Following the news, he broke his silence earlier this week. He said: “I haven’t relapsed. I am still three years and four months clean and sober. I am devastated by what’s happened.”
Spanish police this week confirmed the reality star was arrested for “an alleged crime of domestic violence” against Nicoline.
He appeared before the Court of Violence against Women, in Fuengirola, and was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, for a gender violence offence.
Former Miss Sweden Nicoline, 32, was on a getaway with him in Mijas, near Malaga, Spain, on May 5 when a diner at a nearby restaurant witnessed a commotion from across the road.
Sobbing in the street after the altercation with the Towie star, she told a passerby: “I can’t believe what’s happened… we planned to have a family.”
The witness said they saw Arg throwing clothes off the balcony and heard him screaming in the house before he ran out with a bag.
James, 37 – also known as Arg – has kept a low profile since news of the incident broke.
Towie suspended Argent from filming in October 2014 when he failed a drug test. He later attended rehab before returning to the series.
But he has regularly been an inpatient at centres due to his issues with drug addiction and in an interview in November he said he’d been clean and sober for three years.
He’d been dating Nicoline, 32, since last summer after meeting in Marbella. Following police action, he has been banned from contacting the former Miss Sweden for two years.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk