SHUT UP!
The TOWIE stars who aren’t actually from Essex & the celebs who’ve done 5k mile runners after being humiliated on screen
Did you know that an iconic TOWIE star was actually from Devon? Or the OG celeb who now lives in Dubai?
IT’S a show that’s been going for over a decade - but how much do you really know about the cast?
While you think you might know everything there is to know about the Essex celebs, it turns out that many of the show’s most popular stars, aren’t actually from the county.
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From London to Devon, you’ll be saying ‘shut up’ when you realise where these TOWIE icons were actually born.
Not only are we looking at the TOWIE fakers, but we’ll also take a look at the TOWIE flee-ers - the stars who’ve travelled thousands of miles to escape the country, after humiliating moments on the ITVBe show.
TOWIE fakers
James Lock
James Lock, aka “Lockie”, was a cast member on the show since 2013 and experienced a number of dramatic story lines, including relationship dramas, cheating rumours, and bust-ups with friends.
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After he gave viewers a close-up look at his relationships with Danielle Armstrong and Yazmin Oukhellou, the TOWIE legend quit the show after 10 years.
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But it turns out that Lockie isn’t actually from Essex - in fact, he was actually born in Tower Hamlets, London.
Despite his Essex-style appearance, the star previously told The Sun: "I know what poverty is. I grew up in Tower Hamlets. It's one of the poorest places in the country.
"I've come from nothing and I don't want to go back to nothing. That genuinely scares me.
“It's one of my biggest fears. That's why I want to work hard. That's what drives me every day."
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Lauren Goodger
Another TOWIE star that isn’t actually from Essex is original cast member Lauren Goodger.
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The TOWIE icon starred in the show from 2010 until 2012, where we saw her rocky relationship with Mark Wright, as the hit show followed her cause chaos throughout Essex.
Lauren made a return for the show's nineteenth series in 2016 but has not been seen on the hit show since.
But recently, it has been confirmed that the TOWIE icon, who is actually from Bethnal Green, London, is planning to head back to the show that made her a household name, next year.
The brunette, who was raised in the London borough with her half-brother Tony and half-sister Nicola, now lives in Essex and recently confessed to that she is planning to share her life on reality TV once again and her return is not far off.
She told the publication she was planning to begin filming with the show again in the new year.
Lauren said: "I'm hoping to go back in February," before going on to reveal the show already has a new cast member lined up to co-star with her.
The name could not be closer to home with Lauren revealing that her daughter, Larose, 2, will be appearing alongside her upon her return.
She went on to say: "Yes [she'll be on], and meet up with Amy Childs and go for lunch with the kids!"
Lydia Bright
While you might’ve expected that Lydia Bright is a star born and bred in Essex, it turns out that she’s also from London too.
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The mum-of-one joined the series in 2010, as part of the OG cast, whereby she was introduced as the ex-girlfriend of James Argent.
Known for her on-off relationship with “Arg”, Lydia left the series following one of the couple’s huge blowouts in 2012.
She then returned in 2014 and appeared on the show on and off until she finally quit for good in 2017.
While the star now lives in Essex, in a £1.5 million home with her daughter Loretta, the mum-of-one was actually born in Southwark, London.
Lydia has previously opened up to Fabulous about her “crazy” mum and her “chaotic” childhood, as her mum, Debbie Douglas, fostered over 200 kids over the last 25 years as well as bringing up Lydia and her three siblings.
She said: “My childhood was very chaotic, we always had a very busy household.
“My parents used to do short term fostering as well, so the children used to change over quite regularly.
“Sometimes we would have two or three kids in one night and then one would go and another would come – but there were a lot.
“Then there were always social workers there and parents of the children.
“I was used to it because I didn’t know any different, but when I went to friends’ houses I realised that my house was a lot louder than everyone else’s.
“Maybe if my parents started fostering when I was older it would have made a massive difference. But because I was so used to it was just like having a big family.
“At times I might have felt like ‘I wish they would spend more time with me’ that’s your life and you don’t know any different.”
Chloe Brockett
She’s been described as TOWIE’S ‘troublemaker’, but in fact, Chloe Brockett isn’t actually from Essex.
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The 23-year-old began acting with various appearances in television advertisements and whilst working as a hairdresser, she was cast in the series in March 2019.
But Chloe didn’t grow up in Essex and was another star born in Newham, London.
However, she didn’t spend long in the big city, as at the age of one, Chloe and her mother moved to Chafford Hundred, Essex.
Despite her big presence on our screens, Chloe was suspended from the ITVBe reality show earlier this year after throwing glasses during a furious bust-up.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Chloe was missing from just two episodes of the new series and returned after the spout of bad behaviour.
Clelia Theodorou
From her feuds with Kelsey Stratford and Shelby Tribble, to her brief relationship with Dan Edgar, Clelia Theodorou joined the show with a bang for series 23 in 2018.
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The brunette beauty appeared on the show for the following five series, but the star, who recently gave birth to her first child with boyfriend Tommy Cole, is actually from Devon.
Clelia, who this year was hospitalised with broken legs and tragically lost her mum in a horrific car crash, is originally from Exmouth in Devon.
She quit her life on the coast for the hustle and bustle of Essex and was a regular cast member since bosses promised that she would "throw the cast into chaos."
But although the star delivered their promise and fast became a show favourite, finding herself the centre of a number of dramatic storylines, unfortunately Clelia was one of ten TOWIE cast members ‘axed’ from the show in 2021, in a bid to save the programme from a ratings slump.
TOWIE flee-ers
While Essex was the place that made many TOWIE stars famous, it appears a growing number of cast are ditching their hometown for sunnier climates.
Joey Essex recently revealed that he is eyeing up a move to Dubai, following a break-in at his mansion.
But he wouldn't be the first Towie legend to set his sights on the United Arab Emirates.
In fact, many stars from the show have upped sticks from Brentwood, where it was set - as here, we take a look at the former Essex faithfuls who quit the UK for a new life in the sunshine.
The Sims sisters
After a string of rocky romances during her long stint on the show, from Mario Flacone, Elliott Wright, Liam ‘Gatsby’ Blackwell, Adam Oukhellou, Dan Edgar and Pete Wicks, Chloe Sims, the oldest of the Sims sisters, decided to call it quits with her Essex lifestyle.
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Alongside her sisters, Frankie and Demi, and her brother Charlie, the clan flew over 5,000 miles away to Los Angeles.
The siblings quit the show after being offered £1 million for their reality show, The House of Sims, as they set their sights on becoming the next Kardashians.
The girls lived the life of luxury during filming and moved into a plush mansion, which includes an outdoor swimming pool and huge bedrooms.
Chloe told fans about her new permanent home as she penned: "NEW CHAPTER. I flew back to the UK for 5 days to completely pack up & say my goodbyes for now.
"Made the big move to LA the past few months have the most testing, exciting, months of my adult life."
She added: "I’ve been quiet on here as I’ve been extremely busy moving across the world."
Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell
Having arrived on the TOWIE scene in 2015, Liam Gatsby (aka Liam Blackwell) became a hit with fans thanks to his entertaining rap songs and extravagant lifestyle.
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Best pals with Lydia Bright, ladies man Gatsby - a former professional footballer - had a failed romance with Chloe Sims, which she claimed ruined their friendship.
He also tried to woo Ferne McCann with a lavish date which included a helicopter ride, but it wasn’t meant to be.
But after seven years on the hit show and his failed relationship with Chloe, in March 2023, Liam ‘Gatsby’ Blackwell also announced his move to LA.
After feeling like he had ‘nothing here’ anymore, the star left the show to pursue his California dream.
At the time, he shared on social media: "After 7 years I have decided to leave TOWIE and leave Essex permanently, to start a new life in Los Angeles.
"There have been many different factors in making my decision but the main ones are that I am ready for this next chapter of my life and I'm looking forward to starting an exciting new career in real estate.
"TOWIE has been a major part of my life and I am sad to be leaving but I am also extremely grateful for every moment.
"I have experienced highs and lows and ups and downs over the years, but those moments, no matter how challenging, have defined me and made me the person I am today.
"I will never forget this era of my life and I am so lucky to have made so many memories on the show, all of those memories will last forever," he added, before thanking his fans for sticking with him "through thick and thin throughout the years".
Vas J Morgan
Another TOWIE star that’s now sunning it up in the States is Vas J Morgan.
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Vas first appeared on the show in 2014 and was on our screens for two years.
After leaving the show in 2016, Vas returned a year later in 2017 for series 21.
However, he didn't appear to have the most positive experience on the show and lashed out at ITV2 bosses for practising 'systemic racism', by forcing him into stereotypical story arcs and failing to support him through his personal battles.
Vas had a rough ride after rising to fame on TOWIE, suffering from depression, addiction and attempting to take his own life.
But the now socialite enjoys a lavish lifestyle in Hollywood, with a host of celebrity pals, including Rita Ora, Jess Glynne, Paris Hilton and Rebel Wilson.
Vas’ move to LA came after he launched his own mental health platform, WE MATTER.
Now, the 34-year-old is also creative director for luxe leisure brand Sosala, and regularly shares an insight into his glossy lifestyle, with trips on private jets and hanging out on yachts.
Yazmin Oukhellou
Yazmin Oukhellou joined the cast of TOWIE alongside her then-boyfriend James Lock in 2017, and then went on to become one of the show’s biggest names.
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As well as her on/off relationship with Lockie, she butted heads with the likes of 'Girl Band' members Amber Turner, Courtney Green and Chloe Meadows.
Despite her onscreen dramas and her split from James Lock in 2021, Yaz announced that she was not only leaving TOWIE, but was also saying goodbye to Essex too.
The brunette travelled over 4,000 miles to Dubai, where she left the chaos behind and began working as a high end estate agent.
She returned to TOWIE after a break - but a horror crash in Turkey, which killed on-off boyfriend Jake McLean in July, made her rethink her options again.
Following this, Yaz announced that she's now resumed her property career after moving back to the UAE hotspot and landing a job with luxury firm Sycamore Estates.
She shared news of her new job on her Instagram stories and revealed her stunning apartment which boasts sensational views of the harbour and buildings across the water.
She wrote: "Now I’ve made that full commitment to put my heart and soul into real estate in Dubai. I absolutely love it.
"There’s people out here making six, seven figures a month. It’s crazy, the property market has never been as big as it is now out here. It’s mad."
Tom Pearce
But Yasmin isn’t the only TOWIE star to now live in Dubai - Tom Pearce, who joined the series as the bestie of icon Joey Essex and was a key cast member for two years, also now resides in the influencer hotspot.
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Tom joined TOWIE in 2012 but after many of his friends quit the show, after just two years, he announced that he would also be saying goodbye.
As a result, Tom to focus on his career as an equity broker.
The economics graduate told The Sun at the time: "After nearly three years I just thought it was time. Most of my friends are no longer on the show apart from Diags.
“I feel like I’ve done everything I can storyline-wise. I want to concentrate on my job in the City as an equity broker.”
After working in London, Tom then relocated to Dubai and, in 2019, he met Manchester beautician Rebecca Walker, who owns a facial and eyelash extension business in the city.
In 2022, he popped the question to Rebecca, 32, on a romantic break in Bali and posted a picture of the moment with the caption: "The girl said yes!"
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As a result of his UAE move and distant TOWIE days, Tom now tends to keep his personal life in the capital of the Emirate private.
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