James Lock reacts for the first time to ex-girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou’s car crash

James Lock first responded to ex-girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou’s car accident that killed her ex-partner Jake McLean.

The 35-year-old reality star admitted to blocking Yazmin’s number because her contact put a “tension” on a current relationship, but insisted he wasn’t being “cold”.

On Sunday’s episode of The Only Way Is Essex, James told co-star Jordan Brook that Yazmin, 28, was “lucky to be alive” after walking away from the smash with a broken arm as her ex-lover Jake died. declared at the scene at the age of 33.

James said to Jordan, “Mate, to be honest I’m just shocked. I am shocked by what happened to Yaz.

“It’s crazy that I honestly can’t reach it. As far as I know she is a lucky girl that she is still alive. She’s stable, she’s in the hospital and her family is there, so that’s the most important thing.

“It’s scary and puts everything in perspective. It makes you realize certain things… you know something, she messaged me recently and I deleted her and then I blocked her.

“Although we don’t work as a couple, we’ve always been there for each other. The only reason I’ve blocked her is because I feel like she and I are putting a strain on our other relationships if we try to move forward.

‘I ignored her’: James admitted to blocking Yazmin’s number because her contact ‘burdened’ a current relationship, but insisted he wasn’t ‘cold’

Tragic: James told Jordan Brook that Yazmin was ‘lucky to be alive’ after walking away from the smash with a broken arm while her ex-lover Jake was pronounced dead on the spot

“When she sent a message, it caused a problem, so that’s why I blocked her, I wasn’t cold. I thought I was doing the right thing. I’ve been talking to Junaid every day to ask if she’s sweet and all. She knows I asked about her.’

Jake died tragically in July after driving his car off a cliff in Bodrum, Turkey, while Yazmin, who was a passenger, sustained injuries to her left arm.

The Essex businessman, who rose to fame when he dated reality star Lauren Goodger, was laid to rest last month, but Yazmin was not invited to the funeral.

Jake’s family is said to have disapproved of the couple’s relationship and believe the couple was arguing at the time of the crash.

Emotion: James admitted that while his relationship with Yazmin didn’t work out, the former couple is still “always there for each other” (pictured in 2019)

Elsewhere in the episode, Amber Turner reflected on her broken friendship with Yazmin, as she wept to friend Dan Edgar over the sad news.

She said, “I feel like I haven’t really cried yet because it’s like I don’t want to get upset because I’m not really in the situation.

“I don’t want to get sad, but I just feel like it sucks because me and she weren’t in the best places, but we were better. It’s just hard.’

Dan added: “It’s terrible what happened, but you have to try to think of the positives. Yaz’s okay, she’s lucky she got out alive.”

‘She’s my sister’: Junaid Ahmed burst into tears as he discussed his love for Yazmin, whom he described as family

Yazmin’s close friends and co-stars Dani Imbert, Harry Derbidge and Junaid Ahmed discussed their feelings after she escaped death in the car accident.

Harry said, ‘I think we’re all lost on words, aren’t we? I keep thinking how brave she must have been to get through that.’

Dani added: “Now that Yazmin has had a serious accident, I think of course we are all close to her and it is a difficult situation for all of us, but I think Junaid is difficult for you.”

Junaid sobbed, “Nobody gets it. She’s more than just a best friend to me – she’s my sister. I can’t help her.’

‘Nobody gets it’: Junaid struggled with his emotions as he was comforted by Dani and Harry in scenes filmed for TOWIE after Yazmin’s car accident