The TOWIE Tenerife special, which kicked off last month, was nicknamed “Tenergrief” by fans, after a series of rows between the female cast members.
And insiders claim the drama continued off screen, with the girls – including Lydia Bright, 25, Ferne McCann, 24, Chloe Sims, 32, and Lauren Pope, 32 – all fiercely competing for the best bikini body.
A source reveals: “Lydia insisted some of her scenes with Chloe be re-shot as she felt she looked ‘huge’ next to her. Lydia was even handing out water retention pills to ease the girls’ bloating, but leaving out Chloe and Lauren, who are naturally very slim.”
Last year, size 10 Ferne hit out at former co-star Lucy Mecklenburgh when their svelte figures were compared, saying: “Lucy is naturally skinny – she had a head start.”
Ferne then sparked fears for her health when she was hospitalised in January after collapsing in the gym, admitting she’d been punishing her body with two-hour-a-day workouts.
An insider says: “The girls know how much attention their bodies receive and, when they have a holiday special coming up, they all work extra hard to look their best. During filming, they are always desperate for more camera time, and want to have a say in camera angles and the lighting.”
Read the full story in this week’s Closer – out now