James Argent has returned to social media for the first time since he received a suspended jail sentence for pushing ex Nicoline Arthursson down the stairs in Spain.

The TOWIE star, 37, was arrested earlier this month following the row with the Swedish beauty queen, with a two-year restraining order meaning he’s banned from contacting her.

Having returned to the UK last week in the wake of his arrest, James returned to Instagram to share snaps of his performance at a charity event.

Dressed in a black tuxedo, James posted a snap alongside one of his friends after he and his group The Arg Band performed at The Wickers Charity Ball in London, which raises funds to tackle knife crime.

He captioned the post: ‘It was an honour to perform for The Wickers Charity raising over £100,000. So proud of @brogangarritsmith for all her hard work.’

James was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence and a two-year restraining order against ex-girlfriend Nicoline after shoving the beauty queen during a violent row in Spain.

James Argent has returned to social media for the first time since he received a suspended jail sentence for pushing ex Nicoline Arthursson down the stairs

Fans have questioned whether his behaviour was sparked by a return to his wild drug and alcohol abusing days, which saw the reality star spend several stints in rehab.

But speaking exclusively to MailOnline, James confirmed he is still sober and the police incident was not triggered by a relapse. 

James said: ‘I haven’t relapsed. I am still three years and four months clean and sober. I am devastated by what’s happened.’

On Tuesday night it was revealed that James pushed his girlfriend of nine months down steps outside her apartment on the Costa del Sol, which resulted in him admitting a charge of domestic violence.

James, who over the years has struggled with weight issues and cocaine addiction, has previously suffered two near-fatal drug overdoses as he battled against his demons.

But the EsSєx star has been alcohol and drug free since 2022, prioritising rehabilitation, clean living and maintaining a healthy weight after having gastric band surgery.

He has spoken in the past about struggling with the pitfalls of fame, including loneliness, shame amid his eating disorder, and being thrust into the public light after starring on reality series TOWIE.

During a 2020 interview with OK Magazine James discussed how his drug addiction started, saying: ‘I was going to nightclubs around the age of 18…

The TOWIE star was arrested earlier this month following the row with the Swedish beauty queen, and she’s now received a restraining order that means he’s banned from contacting her

Read More James Argent seen for the first time since suspended jail sentence for pushing ex down steps

‘I would hear of some of my friends experimenting with drugs, but it wasn’t until I first started TOWIE that I was getting booked up for nightclub appearances up and down the country most nights of the week, I was drinking, and I started doing drugs more and more.

‘My friends and family recognised that I was having a problem and an addiction about a year and a half into TOWIE.’ 

He also shared how his romantic relationships have suffered in the past as a result of his addiction, including with ex-girlfriend and former TOWIE co-star Lydia Bright.

James said: ‘When Lydia broke up with me it was a shock and the pain I was going through with the heartbreak, I started using drugs heavily to escape the feelings and the pain as well as with the insecurities with how I looked on television.’

The singer had been in a relationship with model Nicoline for nine months before the violent incident occurred over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

On Wednesday, Nicoline was pictured for the first time since James was charged with domestic violence.

She was seen wearing a white T-shirt and sunglᴀsses while looking down at her phone just hours after news of James’s arrest broke.

The sighting came after an eyewitness told MailOnline that James was heard ‘yelling’ before forcing the former Miss Sweden out of her apartment door in Spain, which caused her to fall down some steps.

James pleaded guilty to charges of domestic violence and has been handed a two year restraining order meaning he will be jailed if he contacts Nicoline, who onlookers claimed looked ‘severely hurt’ following the attack.

The witness, who did not want to be named, told of how they heard a loud commotion from the Costa del Sol property, which James shared with Nicoline, and has now recalled watching the ‘brutal’ row unfold.

They said: ‘We were out walking our dogs when we suddenly heard an aggressive man yelling. We saw him throwing objects from the terrace of a nearby house. We were frightened by his shouts.

‘Then, the door of the house opened, and the man threw a women out and she fell down the steps, causing her to scream. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. She was severely hurt and cried out for help.’

It’s understood that James ‘continued to throw things’ as Nicoline ‘lay injured’ on the steps.

The eyewitness continued: ‘The situation escalated quickly, and we were scared and unsure of what to do. Another woman arrived to ᴀssist the injured woman, who was lying helplessly at the foot of the steps. At that moment, the man slammed the door and fled.

‘Within moments, concerned bystanders had gathered to help the woman, and the police arrived swiftly.’

The witness said Nicoline ‘appeared to be physically and emotionally devastated.’

‘We were in utter shock,’ they continued, adding that they were later told Nicoline’s mother had arrived and taken her to hospital.

‘This woman deserves justice; she was left utterly devastated. We have never seen anyone so emotionally hurt as she was.

‘What we witnessed was a brutal act of abuse… there were many witnesses and bystanders who helped Nicoline during the incident.’

After tumbling down two steps, Artursson’s screams alerted neighbours to the incident, who then informed the police. She is understood to have needed hospital treatment.

Argent was arrested shortly after the incident in La Cala de Mijas and was kept in police cells for several hours before being dragged in front of a court in nearby Fuengirola.

The singer had been in a relationship with model Nicoline for nine months before the violent incident occurred over the May Bank Holiday weekend 

During the hearing he admitted a domestic violence charge, with an insider telling The Sun the couple’s nine-month relationship is now over. He was handed a two-year restraining order which prohibits him from being within 250 metres of Artursson.

Artursson was in court to hear Argent admit the charge where he was handed a six-month suspended sentence. Argent was also told to a complete a ‘resocialisation course in the field of gender violence’.

Artursson has remained in Spain, while Argent is believed to have flown back to EsSєx.

The model was spotted for the first time since the arrest on Wednesday, wearing gym clothing as she typed away on her phone.

She was joined by her mother Pernille Artursson, who has been supporting her since the incident with her ex Argent.

Artursson covered her face with a pair of large sunglᴀsses during their outing.

Speaking about how Argent is now, a friend told the Sun he is ‘extremely sorry’, saying: ‘He said he had a row with Nicoline and that he tried to end the argument.

‘James said he pushed Nicoline and that she fell. He is remorseful about what happened but is insisting he never meant any harm.’