Why does Lauren want to settle for a bad boy?

● Former TOWIE star Lauren Goodger spends the night partying with ex Joey and calls him ‘family’ ● Pals fear she’s letting the ex-con back into her life ● Loved ones worry her desperation for a baby is pushing her back into Joey’s arms

She slammed jailbird ex Joey Morrison when she split from him last July, amid claims he’d been sexting other girls from prison – calling him a “wasteman” and a “piece of s**t who makes me sick”.

But Lauren Goodger shocked fans last week when she reunited with him on a night out, describing him as “family” in a string of Instagram snaps.

Now, insiders say pals are shocked that 32-yearold Lauren – who deleted the photos hours later but continued to follow him on social media – could let Joey back into her life after such a fraught romance.

A source tells us, “No one can believe Lauren would even be in the same room as Joey after how he treated her, let alone cosying up to him like she did. Lauren’s been extremely low since their split, but she’s obsessed with getting Joey’s approval. It’s clear that her recent reunion was motivated by her lack of self- confidence.”

EXCITING ROMANCE

Lauren raised eyebrows in September 2016 when she first started dating Joey, 33, while he was still in prison for a string of violent drugs-related charges.

Defending their romance on Channel 5’s In Therapy while they were still together, Lauren said, “This is the weirdest relationship ever, but it’s exciting and I think that’s why I like it. A bad boy never cheats, a bad boy is very loyal. They’re strong family men, they’ve just got a bit of a naughty side to them.”

❛ SHE DOESN’T HAVE THE STRENGTH OR SELF-WORTH TO BELIEVE SHE CAN DO ANY BETTER ❜

Insiders claimed Lauren became desperate to get the perfect body for Joey’s release and had body sculpting, liposuction, face and lip fillers and a reported Brazilian butt lift – something she denied – to transform her looks.

But the romance collapsed in July last year when Joey was caught sending explicit photos to other women while behind bars. Following his release in September – after serving nine years – he then hit out at Lauren on Instagram in January this year, describing her as a “real life catfish” and insisting he hadn’t wanted to “go near her” once he was on the outside.

The source adds, “Lauren craves bad boys because she loves the excitement of it all, but will ignore all the red flags. Her friends knew Joey was wrong for her from the beginning, and hoped she’d cut him out for good. After all the nasty things he’s said and done, they think she’s a fool to forgive him so quickly.”

TOXIC RELATIONSHIP

Lauren’s had a history of stormy relationships in the spotlight. She split from former fiancé and TOWIE co-star Mark Wright in August 2011, following a turbulent 10-year relationship, which saw her endure multiple claims he’d been unfaithful.

Opening up about Mark – who viewers saw make negative comments about her weight – in 2013, she said, “I made myself a doormat and he wiped his feet on me every single day.”

She was then on and off with Jake Mclean for four years but, following their break-up in 2016, admitted he had been “toxic”.

The source says, “Lauren’s suffered a lot of heartache, but never seems to learn her lesson. She’s been on and off with all her exes, despite friends pleading with her to walk away. Her friends just want her to close the door on Joey for good – but she just can’t.”

Pals also fear that Lauren’s longing for a baby may be pushing her back into Joey’s arms. The former Celebrity Big Brother star previously opened up about her desperation for a baby with Joey just five months into their romance, insisting, “He’ll be a good dad.”

PERFECT FAMILY

The source adds, “Lauren’s number-one goal is to have the picture-perfect family. During her relationship with Joey, she felt so sure marriage and children were in their future.

“She doesn’t want a baby with just anyone, and would prefer it to be with someone she cares about and feels would be a good dad. But her friends don’t want her baby dream to make her fall back into Joey’s arms. They fear she doesn’t have the strength or self-worth to believe she can do any better.”