Reality star Kirk Norcross has revealed that he tried to take his own life just last year after appearances on shows such as TOWIE, Ex On The Beach and Celebrity Big Brother left him struggling with severe anxiety and depression.
Claiming that he received “zero aftercare,” Kirk told The Sun on Sunday: "Reality TV turned me into a monster but the bosses didn’t want to look after the monster they created.”
He added: "I’d cry on set and say, ‘Please don’t make me do these things’, but I always had to."
Speaking out in the wake of Love Island star Mike Thalassitis’ tragic death, Kirk said: “I’ve thought about killing myself so many times because of what those shows did to me.
Last year I came seconds away but I thought of my son’s face. He saved my life.”
Kirk shot to fame on TOWIE alongside Mark Wright and Sam Faiers but claims that he was forced to portray a false image of himself.
“They wanted me to come across as flash, even though I was a normal guy working in a club. It caused a lot of anxiety and grief but they didn’t care,” he told the publication.
CHECK OUT Axed TOWIE cast - where are they now?
CLOSER - axed Towie cast members where are they now? - slider
1 of 28Maria Fowler, series 1 - 3
Maria, on the left with Joey Essex and Chloe Sims in 2011, was in the show from the get-go but her TV career was rocked when it was alleged she'd worked as an escort. She's since said she quit 'by mutual consent' after she refused an on-screen romance with Mick Norcross.
2 of 28Maria Fowler, 2018
Maria's now a proud mummy, engaged to be married and a self-proclaimed permanent make-up artist.
3 of 28Dan Osborne, series 8 - 14
Dan Osborne, pictured here with James Argent in 2013, managed seven series on the show. He was given the boot after a series of recordings, claiming to show Dan being verbally abusive towards his ex-girlfriend Megan Tomlin, came to light.
4 of 28Dan Osborne, 2018
Dan is still in the spotlight due to his relationship with ex-EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa. In May 2018 he described their marriage as "unhappy".
5 of 28Amber Dowding, series 18 - 21
Amber was part of a mega cull of seven Towie characters in January 2018. She claimed that she and her boyfriend Chris Clark were cut because they were happy. They've now split and Chris has reappeared on the show.
6 of 28Amber Dowding, 2018
If Amber's social media is anything to go by, she now appears to mostly be on holiday. Pretty goals from where we're sitting.
7 of 28Mike Hassini, series 16 - 18 and 21
Mike Hassini brought a hot bod to TOWIE and...not much else. He was cut in January 2018 due to a lack of storylines as he was loved-up outside the telly show.
8 of 28Mike Hassini, 2018
Mike is working as a PT, still loved-up, and still has a very hot bod. Blimey.
9 of 28Jack Rigden, series 20 - 21
Jack Rigden tried hard, so hard, to make an impression on Towie but his lack of on-screen romance and agg saw him get very little camera time. He was part of the big cull of January 2018.
10 of 28Jack Rigden, 2022
Jack now owns a Fish and Chip business called Let's Get Battered. He also has an Instagram page dedicated to his love of cooking and all things food called @rigdensrecipes.
11 of 28Jordan Brook, series 20 - 21
Jordan and Jack were brought in as friends of Megan McKenna. When she quit, they were left without any storylines.
12 of 28Jordan Brooks, 2018
Jordan is now dating Sofia Filipe of Ex On The Beach fame. Aww.
13 of 28Ricky Rayment, series 4 - 14
We still think very fondly of Ricky. His rocky relationship with Jess Wright was a huge part of the show but when they finally broke up, well... Ricky left the show "by mutual agreement"with Towie bosses.
14 of 28Ricky Rayment, 2018
Ricky now seems to mainly go fishing.
15 of 28Tom Pearce, series 5 - 13
Remember when Tom Pearce dated Lauren Goodger following her split from Mark Wright? That was an odd time. He was quietly shown the back doorof the show in 2014.
16 of 28Tom Pearce, 2018
Honestly? We're not 100% sure what Tom is actually doing these days. He used to work in the City, and his holidays certainly look pretty epic, so maybe that.
17 of 28Grace Andrews, series 11 - 12
Grace almost had a romantic relationship with Lewis Bloor (shudder) and that was the beginning and end of her time on Towie.
18 of 28Grace Andrews, 2018
Grace is now involved in a semi-permanent make-up company. Those Towie stars must really hate cleanser.
19 of 28Fran Parman, series 11 - 16
Fran's original romantic interest was Tom Pearce but he stepped aside to allow Diags to woo her. Bad luck. Their relationship was turbulent but apparently not turbulent enough for show producers. Diags stayed, she went.
20 of 28Fran Parman, 2018
Fran and Diags split and she now hangs out in clothing that does not look very practical.
21 of 28Jasmin Walia, series 1 and 7-17
Jasmin managed eight series until she was given the boot. In 2015 her agent stated: "TOWIE is very storyline dependent and Jasmin did not have much going on that we could show on screen."Ouch. She went on to audition for The X Factor. It did not go well. She also took part in reality show Desi Rascals, that lasted for one series.
22 of 28Jasmin Walia, 2018
Jasmin is still being papped, which is more than can be said for some of the other ex-Towie stars.
23 of 28Harry Derbridge, series 1- 3 and 12
Harry Derbridge was a Towie original and still holds a very special place in our hearts. He made a welcome return to the show as Bobby Norris's love interest but, allegedly, cheated on him.
24 of 28Harry Derbridge, 2018
Harry now works it as a make-up artist. Is it us, or does he look like he might have had a little help with lip fillers?
25 of 28Lauren Goodger, series one - six, 16 and 19
Remember when Lauren looked like this? She was a TOWIE OG and her on / off relationship with Mark Wright, including getting engaged in a car park, was the stuff of reality TV dreams.
26 of 28Lauren Goodger, 2018
Lauren is still much loved by the public although her recent porn admission made some fans' jaws drop.
27 of 28Pascal Craymer, 2013
Pascal Cramer walked into TOWIE series ten as the new squeeze of Mario Falcone. Sadly, Mario still had the hots for his former flame Lucy Mecklenburgh. Pascal found out when she watched the episode in which Mario admitted his feelings for Lucy. AWKWARD.
28 of 28Pascal Craymer, 2018
Pascal recently dated king of the jungle trouser snake Nick Knowles although they split before he entered I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! We do not believe that is a real guitar.
He also alleges that show bosses pushed him into making decisions he didn’t want to, including dumping former girlfriend Lauren Pope on screen, with the threat of being kicked off the show if he didn’t comply.
After leaving TOWIE, Kirk later appeared on MTV’s Ex On The Beach where he claims he was “plied with booze” and “encouraged to have sex” in order to stay on the show.
He said: “I had a new girlfriend but they said, ‘If you don’t get with this girl you are off the show.’
“I had sex just to stay on TV. I was so ashamed — I felt like I was being pimped out. I had really bad panic attacks.”
NOW WATCH Sophie Kasaei and Nathan Henry play the Geordie Shore quiz!
READ MORE
Stacey Dooley's furious ex SLAMS 'snake' Kevin Clifton amid dating claims
Kris Jenner reveals her daughters earn SIX FIGURES for Instagram posts
Georgia Steel breaks silence as new boyfriend’s criminal past is revealed
After coming close to taking his own life, Kirk decided “something had to change” and now works laying phone cables.
He said: “I am setting up a jet-washing company and working laying BT cables. I wear a high-vis jacket and work down manholes that are full of rats and I don’t care. I’m skint but love my new life.”
When asked for comment, a TOWIE spokesperson told The Sun: “The welfare of everyone involved in the making of our programmes is of paramount importance to us and appropriate psych support is available to all cast throughout their time with us and beyond."