James Argent has ‘taken things to the next level’ with his teenage girlfriend – by meeting her family.
MailOnline understands the former TOWIE star recently jetted out to Italy to meet 18-year-old Stella Turian’s relatives – who were won over by James’ charm.
James, 34, who is 16 years older than the stunning Italian actress, is now planning to whisk her away on a romantic holiday.
Romance: James Argent has ‘taken things to the next level’ with his teenage girlfriend – by meeting her family
A source said: ‘James has totally fallen for Stella and she adores him too. That’s why she was very keen for him to meet her family and go official with how she feels.
‘The meeting went well. It’s impossible not to like James and he quickly won over Stella’s friends and family with his charm.
‘James and Stella both lead busy lives, but they are keen to spend as much time as possible with one another and are planning a holiday, probably to Dubai, before the end of the year. Both of them are counting down the days.’
James recently posted a picture on Instagram showing him swimming in the sea in Positano in Italy’s Costa D’amalfi.
![Next step: MailOnline understands the former TOWIE star recently jetted out to Italy to meet 18-year-old Stella Turian's relatives - who were won over by James' charm](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/10/19/11/63629205-11331553-image-a-32_1666175676133.jpg)
Next step: MailOnline understands the former TOWIE star recently jetted out to Italy to meet 18-year-old Stella Turian’s relatives – who were won over by James’ charm
He captioned it: ‘That’s Amore’.
‘James fell in love with Italy,’ our source added. ‘He can’t wait to head back there soon.’
The meeting with Stella’s parents comes weeks after the pair enjoyed a romantic trip to Marbella.
The actress travelled there to support James, who was performing with his band at Olivia’s La Cala restaurant.
James met Stella, who would have been six-years-old when he first appeared on TOWIE in 2010, while he was in Mykonos attending a friend’s wedding.
Stella appears in the film Infiniti, which screened at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
The jetsetter was also at the Monaco Grand Pix this summer.
![Loved-up: MailOnline revealed James'r burgeoning romance with Stella last month](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/10/19/11/63629093-11331553-image-a-33_1666175683168.jpg)
Loved-up: MailOnline revealed James’r burgeoning romance with Stella last month
Arg is in the best shape of his life after a gastric band operation last year – shedding half his body weight.
He admitted to piling on the pounds in lockdown after kicking his cocaine and booze addiction, admitted doctors warned him he was ‘on death row.’
It took his mum Patricia breaking down in tears in his bedroom for him to finally seek help.
He said: ‘I reached the heaviest I’ve ever been in the height of the pandemic and doctors said I was dicing with death because I’ve got bad asthma and was morbidly obese, which was the worst possible combination if I was to catch Covid.
‘I could have been a goner, so I just knew I had to do something.’
![Trip: James recently posted a picture on Instagram showing him swimming in the sea in Positano in Italy's Costa D'amalfi](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/10/19/11/63629407-11331553-Trip_James_recently_posted_a_picture_on_Instagram_showing_him_sw-a-37_1666176172345.jpg)
Trip: James recently posted a picture on Instagram showing him swimming in the sea in Positano in Italy’s Costa D’amalfi
It comes after MailOnline revealed James’ burgeoning romance with Stella last month.
Sources close to the pair say that it was ‘love at first sight’ for James, who hasn’t felt this way for years, and he’s ‘determined’ to make this relationship the best of his life.
‘James and Stella are in love, they fell for each other the moment they met and have spent as much time together as possible since,’ a source told MailOnline.
‘This is a big deal for James – he hasn’t been in a relationship for years because he’s been working on himself and finally now, he’s ready to share his life with someone.
‘The age difference hasn’t played any part in their romance so far, they’ve holidayed together in Italy and Marbella, getting to know each other away from the spotlight.’
![Star-studded: Stella appears in film 'Infiniti', which screened at this year's Venice Film Festival that was also attended by the likes of A-listers Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Gemma Chan](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/09/16/19/62489885-11220401-image-a-4_1663351339699.jpg)
Star-studded: Stella appears in film ‘Infiniti’, which screened at this year’s Venice Film Festival that was also attended by the likes of A-listers Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Gemma Chan
James met Stella while he was in Mykonos attending a friend’s wedding, and they have been inseparable since.
The happy couple were seen passionately kissing and James lovingly gazed into Stella’s eyes this week in photos published by Sun Online.
James hasn’t publicly dated anyone since the end of his turbulent romance with former TOWIE co-star Gemma, 41, who was left brokenhearted on multiple occasions after James called her names and they fell out on and off screen.
He also dated TOWIE’s Lydia Bright, 31, who is now a mum to daughter Loretta while Gemma is engaged to fiancé Rami Hawash.
![Exes: James hasn't publicly dated anyone since the end of his turbulent romance with former TOWIE co-star Gemma, 41 (pictured together in 2018)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/09/16/20/62492733-11220401-image-a-10_1663355640477.jpg)
Exes: James hasn’t publicly dated anyone since the end of his turbulent romance with former TOWIE co-star Gemma, 41 (pictured together in 2018)
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