We’re going to go out on a limb here and say that Samantha Faiers may have thought about getting married once or twice. The reality star’s certainly been asked about it enough – and she hasn’t held back, previously admitting that she’d like to get married before she’s 30, and that she wants a small, intimate wedding in Italy. But while she’s certainly dropped enough hints, she’s yet to get that all-important proposal from partner Paul Knightley.
Now, heat has been told that, far from losing hope she’ll ever say “I do”, these past couple of months have brought Sam and Paul closer than ever and a surprise quarantine proposal is the obvious next step.
Check out: TOWIE stars' biggest transformations
heat TOWIE stars then and now stacked
1 of 20Lauren Goodger in 2011
Lauren Goodger takes on the red carpet at Essex Fashion Week back in 2011, a year after the show launched. Stripes and fake tan for days.
2 of 20THE GLOW UP - Lauren Goodger now
Oh YASS, the glow up is real.Check out Lauren Goodger in 2018. We don't know what magical moisturiser she is using but we are well jel - she looks younger. She briefly returned to TOWIE and has since launched her tanning brand LG Tan.
3 of 20Harry Derbidge in 2010
TOWIE's sweet heart and cousin to TOWIE royalty, Amy Childs, at the afterparty of a film premiere. Looking so young and fresh faced.
4 of 20THE GLOW UP - Harry Derbidge now
After quitting the show TWICE in 2014 (so, extra) he followed in his cousin Amy Childs' footsteps and opened his own boutique which later closed down. Now, he is a social media influencer and make-up artist and slaying the game. He has also announced his adoption plans with his fiancé Dean Rowland.
5 of 20Gemma Collins in 2011
Do you remember when she was a brunette? Yeah, no one does.
6 of 20THE GLOW UP - Gemma Collins now
"So, girls"She later ditched the bangs, the brunette hair and the excessive tan.After becoming TOWIE's most meme'ed star, she's launched her own TV show Diva Forever, dropped a podcast and she continues to be in an on/off relationship with James 'Arg' Argent.
7 of 20Amy Childs in 2010
Amy Childs in her signature red hair back in 2010 - on the red carpet for the launch of The Only Way Is Essex.
8 of 20THE GLOW UP - Amy Childs now
After being the first one to quit the show, she stormed the showbiz world with her own reality TV show, starred in Celebrity Big Brother and she is now reported to be worth over £5 million. She's also a mum to Polly and Rich.
9 of 20Mark Wright in 2011
Other than being an immediate TOWIE heartthrob / major palyer, he also used to model early on in his career.
10 of 20THE GLOW UP - Mark Wright now
Mark is now happily married to Michelle Keegan. He has his own radio show, he used to be the face of Take Me Out: The Gossip and he ventured across the pond to work with Mario Lopez on Extra.
11 of 20James 'Arg' Argent in 2011
This is what he looked like in 2011, a year after TOWIE launched.
12 of 20THE GLOW UP - James Argent now
Following his break-up from his on screen love, Lydia Bright, he took sometime off from TOWIE. He appeared on and off for a number of series but in 2020 he opened up about his cocaine addiction and eating disorder. He is now in an on/off relationship with Gemma Collins.
13 of 20Lydia Bright in 2011
Lydia opened her own boutique as soon as she joined TOWIE. She left the show after major drama with co-stars James Argent and Gemma Collins.
14 of 20THE GLOW UP - Lydia Bright now
Lydia's now mum to a little girl, Loretta.
15 of 20Sam Faiers in 2010
Quintessential Essex glamour is the best way to describe this picture but she definitely wins the best glow up...
16 of 20THE GLOW UP - Sam Faiers now
She 100% glowed up the most. Her life changed drastically since she first appeared on TOWIE. After leaving the show, she became a mother to Paul and Rosie. She followed Amy Childs' footsteps and joined Celebrity Big Brother and she has her own show The Mummy Diaries. You go girl.
17 of 20Kirk Norcross in 2010
He is a TOWIE original. He left the show three years after first appearing on our TV screens.
18 of 20THE GLOW UP - Kirk Norcross now
Not much has changed, except he is a dad to two children now.
19 of 20Maria Fowler in 2011
She had a very short time on TOWIE after she was dubbed "just a f***ing extra" by Kirk - harsh, right?
20 of 20THE GLOW UP - Maria Fowler now
We use the term 'now" very loosely with Maria, this picture is from early 2017 - that's because we can't find any recent pics as she is keeping it on the down low. We do know that is she is a makeup artist now, she's married to Kelvin Batey and they're expecting their second child later this year.
“Sam has made it clear how much she wants to get married,” says an insider close to the 29 year old, who shares son Paul, four, and two- year-old daughter Rosie with (big) Paul. “They’ve moved to Surrey – something Paul pushed for – away from her friends and family, and she knows how happy he is with their new life there. Being in lockdown has made them realise how much they love spending time together, and getting engaged would be the perfect start to the next chapter.”
The happy family recently upped sticks from Hertfordshire and moved into a luxury mansion in Surrey, where they’ve been posting loved-up snaps. And last week, Sam took public gushing to new extremes, posting a five-minute tribute to her baby daddy on his 32nd birthday. Alongside their family snaps, she wrote, “Our babies are our best friends… You truly are the best daddy,” and told him, “This is just the beginning of a lifetime with you.”
But while Sam clearly has no problem with romantic gestures, we’re not sure the same can be said of Paul. Last September, the couple went to Venice to celebrate their fifth anniversary, which was later shown in an episode of The Mummy Diaries. In the episode, Sam was seen discussing the planned trip with friends and telling a mutual pal to “put a word in” to Paul about proposing.
But sadly, it wasn’t to be, and eight months later, she’s no closer to becoming Mrs Knightley. This is despite the fact that in 2017, before Rosie was born, Sam said, “We would love to be married before we have another baby. It’s Paul’s call, not mine.” She also said last year that she wanted to get married “when I’m 30”, which will be in December.
Read more:
Now, we’re told, she’s extended her deadline – but she’s still coveting a diamond ring. “Getting married by the time she’s 30 isn’t going to happen,” says our source. “But she’s hoping she’ll be engaged by then.
“Sam thinks a lockdown proposal would be very romantic.”
Read more in the latest issue of heat magazine - OUT NOW. Find out how to get your copy here.