20 October 2023 , 10:25
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When Lauren Cofie first appeared on In Love And Toxic with her partner, it was made clear that they were struggling to make things work due to her budding music career.
But little did viewers know that the Nottingham-born singer and songwriter is actually quite a star in her own right and can count Hollywood actor Idris Elba as a close friend. The R&B star, who kick-started her career as a child after forming a group with her older twin sisters, performed at local talent competition before leaving school to start an academic music course. On her Instagram account the singer, who is in a fragile relationship with her boyfriend Michael, is pictured at Soho Farmhouse with none other than the Luther star.
In Love And Toxic Lauren Cofie has Hollywood pals (4Reality/Youtube)Lauren and Idris, who is married to Sabrina Elba, were among friends as they attended the luxury getaway spot and she captioned the post saying: "Weekend recharge with my fav people." And their close friendship is also apparent as the actor, who has been in a number of Hollywood hits including American Gangster and the Nelson Mandela biopic Long Walk To Freedom, invited Lauren to attend the premiere of his latest film, Hijack.
While Lauren's career appears to be heading in the right direction, the same can't be said for her love life. The reality TV star is in a relationship with a dog walker called Michael. But their romance is at breaking point as he feels that she doesn't make any time for him – due to her career.
But, in last night's episode, viewers saw Lauren visibly upset after he was forced to reveal that he hadn't invited her to a family gathering because she's of mixed race descent. He told the therapist that he is not racist but he would need to slowly introduce her to his family in order for them to accept her.
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Lauren and Idris Elba partied at Soho Farmhouse (laurencofie/Instagram)
Lauren Cofie is a singer and song writer from Nottingham (laurencofie/Instagram)Despite their obvious struggles, the pair vowed to do their best to make their relationship work. Lauren and Michael are not the only couple to need the help of the show's relationship experts – so too do Tunde and Marie. The pair portray a power couple with their polished appearance.
However, behind the façade, the two were struggling to communicate and reach a consistent level of their relationship. Marie and Tunde revealed they have been together, on and off, for 10 years. During the many breaks in their relationship, Tunde became a father of three children, before deciding to reunite with Marie.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Tunde admitted he didn't want to take part in the show. He was initially withdrawn and hesitant to open up as he didn't want to be there. In fact, it was Marie's idea for them to attend the sessions. He said: "Marie forced me to do [the show] more or less."