Mark’s back on TOWIE, but what about Lauren?
He doesn’t want any awkward run-ins
‘It’s up to the producers what they decide’
TOWIE fans rejoice – the Prince of Essex (not a real title) is making his return to our telly boxes for the tenth anniversary of the reality show. Yes, Mark Wright is set to star in a spin-off special of The Only Way Is Essex, as the series reaches this prestigious milestone.
The superstar he is these days, Mark does have one teeny tiny caveat for the show’s producers – he doesn’t want to come into contact with ex-girlfriend Lauren Goodger. An insider tells us, “Mark really doesn’t need to do the anniversary special, but he feels he owes it to TOWIE, as it helped get him to where he is today. But he doesn’t want to film anything with Lauren. He feels like it’ll be too awkward
– it’s a part of his life that he doesn’t want to revisit.”
The insider adds that Mark, 33, isn’t out to hurt Lauren’s feelings, and he doesn’t want to stop her from reuniting with other castmates. It’s just he doesn’t want to film with her. “He isn’t banning her from doing it, but he has made it clear he won’t do any scenes with her,” our source says. “It’s up to the producers what they decide, but Mark is the bigger star and bigger pull, and they were desperate to get him involved.”
Mark and Lauren dated for ten years, splitting in 2011, after claims Mark had cheated with Lucy Mecklenburgh. He then met actress Michelle Keegan, who he married in 2015. Other TOWIE stars set to be involved in the anniversary special include Joey Essex and Amy Childs, as well as Mark’s sister, Jess. A TV source said, “Mark and the producers are in discussions, and he’s excited to come back into the fold. It’s thought he may also film some scenes with his sister.”
After Mark’s success as a presenter in Los Angeles, it seems the TOWIE team are thrilled to have him involved. “Getting Mark on board is a huge coup,” the source said. “He has gone on to have the biggest success, so the producers know if they sign Mark, the others will sign, too.”
The only way is up! ■