Towie legend in shock exit from the show after 10 years – and won’t return for upcoming series

A TOWIE legend has left the show after 10 years – and they won’t be coming back anytime soon.

The reality TV star has called it quits after being a long-serving cast member on the ITV show.

It’s been revealed that James Lock, aka “Lockie” won’t appear in the next series.

He’s one of the longest-running stars on the show so he was “due a break”.

A show insider told The Sun: “He was due a break as one of the OGs. He is still very much part of the TOWIE family.”

A source added: “He’s off filming Ex On The Beach so he didn’t film the current series – but he will be back when filming restarts.”

James joined TOWIE in 2013 and has since experienced a number of dramatic storylines, including relationship dramas, cheating rumours, and bust-ups with friends.

It comes after the news that the Essex businessman, 36, will star on the latest series of Ex On The Beach.

It comes after we were first to report how Lockie‘s stunning TOWIE ex Yazmin Oukhellou, 29, has also signed up for the sizzling MTV series.

A source was first to tell us: “James always makes great TV so bosses were thrilled when he agreed to come back for another round.

“He has quite the romantic history so there are plenty of exes that they can bring in to create fireworks, and it will certainly be interesting to see how he and Yaz get on.”

James is no stranger to Ex On The Beach‘s red-faced moments, having endured an awkward reunion with ex Megan Barton-Hanson on the 2022 series.

Back in 2018, Lockie and Yaz quit TOWIE to save their relationship.

At the time, a show spokesperson said: “It was mutually decided that James and Yazmin would not film the final two episodes of this series [in 2018], allowing them time to work on their relationship.”

Yazmin made the decision to take a break during filming earlier that season due to her ongoing battle with depression.

They broke up in 2019 when Yaz accused Lockie of partying with other girls in a hotel room but then patched things up to give their love another shot.

Yet the pair eventually split in 2021.

They again broke up after reportedly having a “huge row” while in Dubai for a “work trip.”

The on-off couple decided to call it quits after tensions finally boiled over.