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TOWIE finally returns to our screens this month after a delay in filming due to the ongoing pandemic and this series is set to be a special one, with a number of legendary cast members like Amy Childs, Joey Essex and Danielle Armstrong all returning to celebrate the show’s 10th anniversary.
But it looks like one of Essex’s major OGs, James Argent, who starred on the ITVBe show full time for the first 19 series and continued to make a number of cameos, won’t be involved in the birthday celebrations.
According to reports, Arg is currently stuck in Marbella (where else?) as quarantine rules changed shortly after he jetted off to Spain last month, meaning he wasn’t able to make it back to the UK for filming.
“Arg was caught out because he was in Marbella for a gig when the rules changed,” an Essex insider told The Sun.
“It made more sense for him to stay out there until the next gig, and he wouldn't have been able to film for Towie anyway because he'd have had to quarantine for two weeks when he got back from Spain.
“He's really sad to miss filming as he loves the show but will be watching at home.”
CHECK OUT the TOWIE cast members returning for its 10th anniversary series
TOWIE cast returning for the 10th anniversary
1 of 7Amy Childs
She was very much the IT girl when TOWIE first started in 2010 and now she's confirmed her comeback on Instagram."'TOWIE 10 is coming, it's time to get back to Essex' .... IM BACK ud83dude1d @towie," she wrote.
2 of 7Nicole Bass
She dated Lewis Bloor when she first joined the show but things took a turn and they had a bitter split. Nicole has since dated Aaron Chalmers (after meeting on Ex on the Beach) and Sam Mucklow. Unfortunately Sam quit the show alongside his now pregnant girlfriend Shelby Tribble (who was Nicole's friend). Anyways, we're excited to see what Nicole gets up to on the next series...
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3 of 7Joey Essex
Let's be honest, it wouldn't be right to have a TOWIE reunion with Joey Essex. He's one of the show's most iconic cast members of all time so we're excited AF to see that he's been filming with BFF James 'Diags' Bennewith.
4 of 7Danielle Armstrong
A lot has changed for Danielle since she left TOWIE. She's now engaged to her childhood sweetheart Tommy Edney and recently gave birth to their daughter Orla Mae. She's been spotted filming for the new series with Chloe Sims so we can't wait to see what they get up to.
5 of 7Fran Parman
Fran Parman has been spotted on set for TOWIE and we cannot wait to see her back with the Essex gang. The last time we saw her was with Diags on Eating With My Ex and they parted ways after discovering they were on different pages.
6 of 7Carol Wright
Mark Wright's mum Carol is making a comeback to TOWIE (we're still hoping her son does).
7 of 7Jess Wright
Jess was unlucky in love on TOWIE (remember when she dated Ricky Rayment?) but things have changed and she's newly engaged.
Arg, who opened up about his seven-year battle with cocaine addiction earlier this year, first joined TOWIE as Mark Wright’s best friend but soon became a pivotal cast member in his own right thanks to his turbulent relationships with Lydia Bright and Gemma Collins.
Even off the show, Gemma and Arg’s relationship was as on/off as ever and the pair are now thought to have split for good after she exposed text messages allegedly from Arg in which he appeared to call her a “fat f--k”.
WATCH Ferne McCann teases TOWIE 10 year reunion 😱
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In the wake of the messages, Gemma shared a post about the signs of emotional abuse in relationships and urged her followers to “walk away” from abusive relationships.
She wrote, “To all who have suffered in lock down or are suffering in general 💗 please please find your strength to walk away 💗 there is a better life for you filled with love and respect 💗 and always remember the problem isn’t within you it’s within them 💗 walk away it’s never too late 💗 something will happen one day and you will just say enough is enough 💗 it’s in that moment the nightmare is over 💗 this is when you find your strength and this is when you will learn self love ❤️.”