The Only Way Is Essex
Encyclopedia
The Only Way Is Essex, (often abbreviated as TOWIE) is a British BAFTA
award-winning semi-reality ("dramality
") show based in Essex
, England
. It shows "real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way."
The show is filmed just a few days in advance. Series 1 ran initially for four weeks, airing every Wednesday and Sunday. It is narrated by Denise Van Outen
, who is from Basildon
, Essex. The show has been described by the Daily Mirror as Britain's answer to The Hills
and Jersey Shore
.
Series 2 began on 20 March 2011, once again airing every Wednesday and Sunday, but with longer episodes than Series 1. Series 2 also saw the departure of long running star Amy Childs
. The second series consisted of 14 episodes, ending on 4 May 2011. The series returned for a third series on 25 September 2011 and ended on 9 November 2011. A Christmas Special of The Only Way Is Essex will follow in December 2011 and a fourth series will begin sometime in early 2012. Digital Spy
is reporting that the series has been renewed for a further four seasons following the Christmas Special and will air four 10-episode runs in 2012.
On 29 November 2011 Mario Falcone explained to RWD Magazine that TOWIE is "...just getting bigger and bigger, you sort of hate it but you love it."
classic Last Christmas
to be released on 18 December. Cast members have also recorded their own unique version of the show's theme song 'The Only Way Is Up
', which will serve as the single's B-side. The original, by Yazz
, spent five weeks at number one in 1988. All profits from the single will go to Text SANTA, a major new charity initiative set up by ITV, which aims to raise money and awareness for a group of well deserving charities, including Crisis, Samaritans and Great Ormond Street Hospital. The offical video for the single will premiere on 1 December at 11pm on ITV2
.
The show has been criticised for its negative representation of Essex
, and there have been a number of complaints to ITV2
. Some Essex residents felt it was not a true representation of the area and the people that live there. Kirk Norcross responded to this criticism by saying, "We are all from Essex, so this is Essex. It's not acting. It's not like they've got people from America and said 'Right, act like you think Essex is.' We are Essex people so what you're watching is Essex".
In April 2011, it was reported that Big Brother 2007
winner Brian Belo
plans on suing the makers of The Only Way Is Essex – claiming they "stole his idea". Belo was in the original pilot of the show – provisionally titled Totally Essex – alongside current stars Mark Wright, Sam Faiers, Kirk Norcross and Amy Childs. Belo plans on suing his former manager and Lime Productions, which makes the show, for lost earnings of up to £100,000 a series. The Sun reported that Belo had spent the previous two years working on an idea for a United Kingdom version of The Hills
, with his manager successfully pitching the pilot to Lime Productions. After not making the cast list, Belo believed he might be involved in producing the show, but was "cut" from the production entirely.
On 24 October 2011 it was reported that sisters Sam and Billie Faiers had been attacked by a group of girls on a night out. "The sisters were first targeted inside the club when the girls made off with Billie's handbag... When they left, the gang followed them back to Essex." An insider also commented saying "Both Sam and Billie later went to A&E to get checked out. They are fine now, just a bit shocked, although Sam has been left with two black eyes." A video of the attack leaked online a day later.
house where she came fourth and starred in her own reality show "All About Amy" on Channel 5. On 24 September 2011 it was rumoured that Harry Derbidge would announce plans to quit the show due to lack of air time and wanting to branch out on his own, although no official statement has been released. Mark Wright announced that he would be leaving the show to enter the jungle to take part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. Wright's final episode was in the series finale of series 3 on 9 November 2011.
On 12 November another original cast member, James 'Arg' Argent, revealed that he may quit the show. "Everyone on TOWIE wants their own show and I'd love to do one," he confessed to The Sun. "I can't say too much at the moment, but let's just say I'm in talks". He added: "My lips are sealed but I promise you're going to see a lot more of Arg, don't you worry. I'm not going anywhere fast."
are awarded annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts
(BAFTA). The Only Way Is Essex received its first British Academy Television Awards nomination and win in the YouTube Audience Award category against Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, Downton Abbey
, Miranda
, Sherlock and The Killing on 22 April 2011.
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
award-winning semi-reality ("dramality
Dramality
Dramality is a combination of television drama and reality television genres.An example is the soap opera The Only Way Is Essex....
") show based in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It shows "real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way."
The show is filmed just a few days in advance. Series 1 ran initially for four weeks, airing every Wednesday and Sunday. It is narrated by Denise Van Outen
Denise van Outen
Denise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...
, who is from Basildon
Basildon
Basildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...
, Essex. The show has been described by the Daily Mirror as Britain's answer to The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
and Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore (TV series)
Jersey Shore is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on December 3, 2009 in the United States. The series follows the lives of eight housemates spending their summer at the Jersey Shore in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Season 2 followed the cast escaping the cold northeast...
.
Series 2 began on 20 March 2011, once again airing every Wednesday and Sunday, but with longer episodes than Series 1. Series 2 also saw the departure of long running star Amy Childs
Amy Childs
Amy Childs is an English model, beautician, reality television participant and television presenter from Essex. She is best known for being an original cast member on The Only Way Is Essex...
. The second series consisted of 14 episodes, ending on 4 May 2011. The series returned for a third series on 25 September 2011 and ended on 9 November 2011. A Christmas Special of The Only Way Is Essex will follow in December 2011 and a fourth series will begin sometime in early 2012. Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
is reporting that the series has been renewed for a further four seasons following the Christmas Special and will air four 10-episode runs in 2012.
On 29 November 2011 Mario Falcone explained to RWD Magazine that TOWIE is "...just getting bigger and bigger, you sort of hate it but you love it."
Starring
| Cast member | Age | Years credited | Job | Title | Series(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Goodger | 25 | 2010 – Present | Model | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Kirk Norcross Kirk Norcross Kirk Norcross is a British promoter for Sugar Hut, a nightclub in Brentwood, Essex. He is mostly known for being a main cast member of The Only Way Is Essex.Norcross was on the front cover of the March 2011 issue of Attitude Magazine.... |
23 | 2010 – Present | Nightclub manager | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Sam Faiers | 20 | 2010 – Present | Glamour Model, fashion store owner | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Harry Derbidge | 17 | 2010 – Present | Student | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| James 'Arg' Argent | 22 | 2010 – Present | Radio DJ | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Lydia Rose Bright | 20 | 2010 – Present | Fashion worker, bakery owner | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Lucy Mecklenburgh | 20 | 2010 – Present | Fashion worker | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Lauren Pope Lauren Pope Lauren "Popey" Pope is an English glamour model, disc jockey, music producer and entrepreneur. She appears in the ITV2 show The Only Way Is Essex.... |
28 | 2010 – Present | Model, entrepreneur, DJ | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Maria Fowler Maria Fowler Maria Fowler is an English glamour model and Page 3 Girl . Fowler has been featured in UK and Worldwide publications From 2010 Fowler has starred as a supporting role in hit ITV2 series The Only Way Is Essex.-Early life:... |
25 | 2010 – Present | Model | Lead Role | 1 – Present |
| Joey Essex | 21 | 2011 – Present | Nightclub promoter | Lead Role | 2 – Present |
| Gemma Collins | 30 | 2011 – Present | Car sales assistant | Lead Role | 2 – Present |
| Billie Faiers | 21 | 2010 – Present | Fashion store owner | Lead Role | 2 – Present |
| Chloe Sims | 30 | 2011 – Present | Model | Lead Role | 2 - Present |
| Mark Wright Mark Wright (reality star) -Career:Before his appearances on The Only Way Is Essex, Wright was a semi-professional footballer, with a youth career at Tottenham Hotspur.On 13 November 2011, he appeared on Series 11 of the ITV reality TV show, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.... |
24 | 2010–2011 | Nightclub promoter, ex semi-pro footballer | Lead Role | 1 – 3 |
| Jessica Wright | 26 | 2010–Present | Lingerie store owner, promoter | Lead Role | 1 – 3 |
| Amy Childs Amy Childs Amy Childs is an English model, beautician, reality television participant and television presenter from Essex. She is best known for being an original cast member on The Only Way Is Essex... |
21 | 2010–2011 | Beautician, model | Lead Role | 1 – 2 |
| Michael Woods | 27 | 2010 | Bar worker | Lead Role | 1 |
| Candy Jacobs | 27 | 2010 | Bar worker | Lead Role | 1 |
Supporting
| Cast Member | Age | Years credited | Job | Series(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debbie Bright (Lydia's mother) | 50 | 2011 - Present | 2 - Present | |
| Peri Sinclair (Mario's ex girlfriend) | 19 | 2011 – Present | Shop Owner | 3 – Present |
| Mario Falcone (Lucy's ex-boyfriend) | 23 | 2011 – Present | Bespoke tailor | 3 – Present |
| Frankie Essex (Joey's sister) | 24 | 2011 - Present | Model | 3 – Present |
| Dino Georgiades | 24 | 2011 - Present | Model, personal trainer | 3 – Present |
| Georgio Georgiades | 24 | 2011 - Present | Model, personal trainer | 3 – Present |
| Kurt Evans (Harry's boyfriend) | 25 | 2011 – Present | Makeup artist | 3 – Present |
| Patricia 'Nanny Pat' Brooker, Mark and Jessica's maternal grandmother | 73 | 2010 – 2011 | Pensioner | 1 – 3 |
| Carol Wright (Mark and Jessica's mother) | 51 | 2011 | Exhibitions organiser | 2 – 3 |
| Nicola Goodger (Lauren's sister) | 26 | 2011 | 2 – 3 | |
DVD releases
| Series | |Discs | |DVD release date | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 2 DVD region code DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region... |
|||||||
| 1 | 11 | 2 | 28 March 2011 | ||||
| All episodes from the first series including the 2010 Christmas special. | |||||||
| 2 | 14 | 2 | |||||
| All episodes from the second series | |||||||
| Ghosthunting with... Ghosthunting With... Ghosthunting With... is based on investigating purported paranormal activity. Yvette Fielding hosts the programme, broadcast on digital channel ITV2, where she takes celebrities to haunted buildings to investigate.... The Only Way Is Essex |
1 | 1 | |||||
| Features the 90 Minute special. | |||||||
| 3 | 15 | 2 | |||||
| All episodes from the third series including the 2011 Christmas special. | |||||||
Film
On 21 November 2011 it was revealed that the series is set to be turned into a movie spin off whilst the series is still at its height of fame.Music
In August 2011 Joey Essex released a single "Reem" that became a popular catchphrase during the second series after Essex constantly used the word. It was announced in November that the current cast of the show would release a cover of the Wham!WHAM!
Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band....
classic Last Christmas
Last Christmas
"Last Christmas" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1984, on a double A-side with "Everything She Wants". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo...
to be released on 18 December. Cast members have also recorded their own unique version of the show's theme song 'The Only Way Is Up
The Only Way Is Up
"The Only Way Is Up" is a song written by George Jackson and Johnny Henderson and originally released 1980 as single by soul singer Otis Clay. In 1988, it became a chart-topping single for Yazz and the Plastic Population.-Yazz version:...
', which will serve as the single's B-side. The original, by Yazz
Yazz
Yazz is a British pop singer, who remains best known for her successful 1988 dance track, "The Only Way Is Up". Some of her records were credited to Yazz & The Plastic Population...
, spent five weeks at number one in 1988. All profits from the single will go to Text SANTA, a major new charity initiative set up by ITV, which aims to raise money and awareness for a group of well deserving charities, including Crisis, Samaritans and Great Ormond Street Hospital. The offical video for the single will premiere on 1 December at 11pm on ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
.
Controversy
Ivan Godfrey was once quoted as saying the show is "the worst thing on television".The show has been criticised for its negative representation of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and there have been a number of complaints to ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
. Some Essex residents felt it was not a true representation of the area and the people that live there. Kirk Norcross responded to this criticism by saying, "We are all from Essex, so this is Essex. It's not acting. It's not like they've got people from America and said 'Right, act like you think Essex is.' We are Essex people so what you're watching is Essex".
In April 2011, it was reported that Big Brother 2007
Big Brother 2007 (UK)
Big Brother 2007 was the eighth series of the United Kingdom reality television programme Big Brother, airing on Channel 4, with a number of closely associated programmes also airing on E4....
winner Brian Belo
Brian Belo
Olawale Mohammed "Brian" Belo is a Nigerian entertainer, raised in Basildon, Essex. He first came to the public's attention by winning the eighth series of the British version of Big Brother. Since the programme, he has become an internet columnist for Heat magazine, a TV segment entertainer for...
plans on suing the makers of The Only Way Is Essex – claiming they "stole his idea". Belo was in the original pilot of the show – provisionally titled Totally Essex – alongside current stars Mark Wright, Sam Faiers, Kirk Norcross and Amy Childs. Belo plans on suing his former manager and Lime Productions, which makes the show, for lost earnings of up to £100,000 a series. The Sun reported that Belo had spent the previous two years working on an idea for a United Kingdom version of The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
, with his manager successfully pitching the pilot to Lime Productions. After not making the cast list, Belo believed he might be involved in producing the show, but was "cut" from the production entirely.
On 24 October 2011 it was reported that sisters Sam and Billie Faiers had been attacked by a group of girls on a night out. "The sisters were first targeted inside the club when the girls made off with Billie's handbag... When they left, the gang followed them back to Essex." An insider also commented saying "Both Sam and Billie later went to A&E to get checked out. They are fine now, just a bit shocked, although Sam has been left with two black eyes." A video of the attack leaked online a day later.
Departures
Amy Childs left the show after the second series so that she could enter the Celebrity Big BrotherCelebrity Big Brother
Celebrity Big Brother could refer to:*Any series of Celebrity Big Brother UK:** Celebrity Big Brother 2001 ** Celebrity Big Brother 2002 ** Celebrity Big Brother 2005 ** Celebrity Big Brother 2006 ** Celebrity Big Brother 2007...
house where she came fourth and starred in her own reality show "All About Amy" on Channel 5. On 24 September 2011 it was rumoured that Harry Derbidge would announce plans to quit the show due to lack of air time and wanting to branch out on his own, although no official statement has been released. Mark Wright announced that he would be leaving the show to enter the jungle to take part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. Wright's final episode was in the series finale of series 3 on 9 November 2011.
On 12 November another original cast member, James 'Arg' Argent, revealed that he may quit the show. "Everyone on TOWIE wants their own show and I'd love to do one," he confessed to The Sun. "I can't say too much at the moment, but let's just say I'm in talks". He added: "My lips are sealed but I promise you're going to see a lot more of Arg, don't you worry. I'm not going anywhere fast."
British Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television AwardsBritish Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
are awarded annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
(BAFTA). The Only Way Is Essex received its first British Academy Television Awards nomination and win in the YouTube Audience Award category against Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey is a British television period drama series, produced by NBC Universal-owned British media company Carnival Films for the ITV network. The series is set during the late Edwardian era and the First World War on the fictional estate of Downton Abbey in Yorkshire, and features an...
, Miranda
Miranda (TV series)
Miranda is a BBC television series co-written by and starring comedienne Miranda Hart, which first aired on BBC Two on 9 November 2009. The situation comedy also features Sarah Hadland, Tom Ellis, Patricia Hodge, James Holmes and Sally Phillips...
, Sherlock and The Killing on 22 April 2011.
| Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Academy Television Awards 2011 The 2011 British Academy Television Awards were held on 22 May 2011. The nominations were announced on 26 April.Graham Norton hosted the ceremony.-Nominations:*Actor**Jim Broadbent — Any Human Heart... |
YouTube Audience Award | The Only Way Is Essex (cast and production team) |
See also
- Living on the Edge (MTV UK reality series)Living on the Edge (TV series)Living On The Edge was a British reality television show that first aired on 14 October 2007 on MTV UK. It documented the lives of several teenagers in Alderley Edge in Cheshire, a wealthy village in the North West of England. It is noted for attempting, but often failing, to purvey 'drama all the...
- Made in ChelseaMade in ChelseaMade in Chelsea is a scripted soap opera set in the wealthy Chelsea district of London. The show follows the lives of: Ollie Locke, Spencer Matthews, Fredrik Ferrier, Francis Boulle, Hugo Taylor, Millie Mackintosh, Amber Atherton, Alexandra Felstead, Francesca Hull, Rosie Fortescue, Caggie Dunlop...