TOWIE: who is on the show?

TOWIE bosses still haven’t confirmed when exactly the next series will hit our screens, however we do know that the cast have began filming in the Dominican Republic – HURRAH.

An ITVBe source said recently, “TOWIE is coming back with a bang and the cast are off to the Dominican Republic.

"It’s been months in the planning and all the details were signed off today. It is the most flash trip they’ve ever done but given they’ve spent the last two years on home soil the bosses wanted to give the stars – and the fans – a treat."

Series 30 might not have started airing yet but there’s still been plenty of drama surrounding the cast and who will be appearing on the show amid rumours the Sims sisters – Chloe, Frankie and Demi – have quit and the sensational axing of newbie Pia Smith.

So, with the new series on the horizon, here’s your guide to which cast members are still on TOWIE and who will be appearing our screens in the not too distant future.

Are the Sims sisters still on TOWIE?

The Sims sisters' future on TOWIE was thrown into doubt when Chloe and her younger sisters Frankie and Demi reportedly pulled out of the Dominican Republic trip just days before due to "off-screen disagreements", with a source saying, "Not everyone's happy about the new arrivals. It's ruffled a few feathers behind the scenes.

"There's been some big disagreements off-camera that resulted in the sisters deciding to pull out of going on the trip two days before they were meant to fly out.

"Every year the three sisters are top of the list of the returning cast. They're the biggest characters who bring the sex appeal, glamour and good storylines. Everyone's talking behind the scenes about why they're missing," they told The Sun.

It's also claimed that Chloe, Frankie and Demi could leave TOWIE behind to film their own fly-on-the-wall reality show à la the Kardashians.

A TV insider revealed, "Undoubtedly they are TOWIE's biggest stars with Chloe being one of the longest-serving cast members but the idea is for them to get their very own Kardashian-style series. Their team has been meeting with TV bosses to discuss the potential show and, as TOWIE viewers will already know, there's never a dull moment with them."

Is Gatsby still on TOWIE?

Another long-serving cast member who skipped filming in the Dominican Republic is Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell who underwent surgery last month after suffering from a hernia and acid reflux. Gatsby later told fans he was "feeling good" while recovering from the operation despite not being able to eat solid foods.

It isn't known whether Gatsby's break is temporary or if it will become permanent, but if he does return to the show then he could be in for an awkward reunion with his ex-girlfriend Dani Imbert after they split in December 2021. Dani insisted there's "no bad blood" between her and Gatsby following their break-up, however she also admitted they're "not friends".

Is Pete Wicks still on TOWIE?

Pete Wicks' TOWIE status is also up in the air as he missed the Dominican Republic trip due the sad death of his nan.

While it's not yet confirmed if he's returning to the show, we imagine it won't be long before he'll be back on our screens alongside his best pal Lockie.

The TOWIE cast members returning for the new series

Dani Imbert

Dani was one of the newest stars to join the show but she's managed to escape the cull. It's probably because of her relationship with Gatsby and she's a strong character - remember that feud with Courtney Green?

Roman Hackett

Roman Hackett joined the show shortly after his friend Dani and it looks like he too will be back on the show. Last season we saw him argue with Rem Laure and date Ella Rae Wise.

During the 29th series he had a major falling out with BFF Dani and Gatsby. Here's hoping in 2022 they'll get everything sorted.

Chloe Brockett

She's definitely a stand out star of the show and that's probably why Chloe Brockett will probably return to TOWIE. Following the TOWIE cull news, she hit out at some of her co-stars who mocked the change up.

"I am still part of the cast, I'm getting a few messages asking if I am, I am," she wrote on Instagram.

"But I did just want to put out a quick message and just say that the cast members that remain on the show that are finding it funny about the ones that have been dropped, I find that absolutely disgusting, and I think even people I have publicly argued with, I would never laugh about them losing their job because it's disgusting.

"People that find that funny, karma is a thing and I hope it bites you on the a---."

Chloe has since revealed when TOWIE will return in 2022 however her future on the show is not known following her feud with Ella.

Amber Turner

Amber Turner is another cast member who confirmed that she'll be returning to TOWIE when it's back on our TV screens.

Over the years Amber has argued with former BFFs Megan McKenna and Yazmin Oukhellou, viewers have seen her turbulent relationship with Dan Edgar and more recently her feud with Chloe Sims.

Dan Edgar

Dan Edgar will be returning with his girlfriend Amber. During the last series Amber moved into his flat and the couple bought a dog so viewers can expect to get an insight into their relationship and his friendship with Gatsby.

Saffron Lempriere

Saffron will be back in the new series and funnily enough during her break from filming, she made a surprising career move.

James Lock

Following his break up with Yazmin, Lockie returned to TOWIE and reunited with his BFF Pete Wicks. He's since gone on to date Love Island 2018 star Megan Barton Hanson, however they've now split.

Amy Childs

We know we said Chloe Sims was the Queen of Essex but let's be honest - it's really the iconic Amy Childs. She only returned to TOWIE for the 10 year anniversary but she's here to stay. Expect to hear her and Polly's hilarious one liners and her boyfriend who appeared on First Dates.

Yazmin Oukhellou

Following her stint in Dubai, Yaz returned to the UK and TOWIE after changing her career path. She's even filmed alongside Lockie and it appears that the pair are actually on good terms.

Chloe Meadows

Chloe Meadows has confirmed she's back on TOWIE and filming alongside her BFFs.

Courtney Green

You wouldn't see Chloe Meadows with her best pal Courtney Green who has also confirmed she's returned to TOWIE in 2022.

Who was axed from TOWIE in 2021?

The list included: best friends Courtney Green and Chloe Meadows, Kelsey Stratford, Clelia Theodorou, Harry Lee, Harry Derbidge, Tom McDonnell and Nicole Bass.

Some stars have since spoken out about not returning to the show, with Clelia confirming rumours and admitted there’s no hard feelings.

During a Q&A with fans Clelia wished only the best for her former co-stars.

When asked if she would be going back to the show that made her famous, she confirmed, “I won’t be returning, no.

“I’ll miss everyone on the show and wish the show well with the new format! I’ve made some amazing friends and memories that I’ll cherish forever.”

TOWIE legend Bobby Norris also revealed that he was stepping back from the show after ten years around the same time.

He wrote on Instagram, “I’m so excited to finally be able tell you guys some news that I’ve been keeping secret.. I have made the decision that now feel’s like the right time for me to take a step back from @towie as a regular cast member to focus on my presenting career.

“After 10 years on TOWIE the show and the fans have been such a huge part of my life, but you haven’t seen the last of me and this is the start of an exciting new chapter!!"

However, some axed cast members later returned to the show later in the year, including Harry Derbidge, Ella Rae Wise, Courtney Green and Chloe Meadows - which led fans to believe that bosses regretted their decision.

Are Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet still on TOWIE?

As well as the reported 10 cast members we previously discussed, Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet left too.

They drove off into the sunset shortly before welcoming baby Brody into the world and they've since starred on their own spin-off show.

However Georgia exclusively spoke to Closer and admitted that she'll be back on the show after maternity leave.

During the TOWIE Christmas special viewers saw Ella Rae Wise, Courtney Green, Chloe Meadows and Harry Derbidge all make a return.

When will TOWIE return in 2022?

In January, ITV and Lime Pictures confirmed in a joint statement that the show will return in the summer and the cast will return to filming in June.

"Owing to ongoing challenges posed by Covid, the forthcoming series of The Only Way Is Essex will now be postponed until later in the year," they said.

However Chloe Brockett has since revealed when the cast will start filming.

What happened on TOWIE in 2021?

In July last year and out of the blue, TOWIE bosses announced that the 29th series would be different and wouldn't include the entire cast that featured on the previous season.

Sharing a shock statement on social media they explained, "TOWIE will be evolving with some changes.

"As it looks ahead to future series, the next instalment of our BAFTA award winning show returns to Essex to follow a smaller group of cast members."

They added, "This change allows our cast more time to film their real lives, showing more of their personal passions and professions, alongside their strong bonds and dynamics with family and friends ✨".

Before the statement was issued, insiders teased that axing cast members was because the show wanted to go back to basics and focus on a group of smaller characters instead of a big group. The first series in 2021 had a whopping 47 faces.

A source told The Sun, "With an ever-growing cast of characters it was becoming hard to give the audience any real insight into the lives of those involved.

"Producers want the show to go back to how it used to be at the start where the audience saw much more of each character’s backstory and what they get up to."

The ITVBe show is no stranger to axing cast over the years, with many stars finding themselves shown the door over lack of storylines.

Before their announcement there were reports that a whopping 10 cast members would be axed from the show.

Who returned for the TOWIE Christmas special?

Following TOWIE's huge cull last year, some axed cast members made their triumphant returns to the series for the 2021 Christmas special.

Ella, Courtney Green and Chloe Jane Meadows were casualties of the now legendary 2021 cull but were back in full force by December for some festive frolicks, with Courtney and Chloe M finally confronting Gatsby over his fall out with best pal Chloe Brockett.

WATCH: Chloe Brockett on her secret row with Yaz, feuding with the Sims sisters and Mark Wright returning

Check out: axed TOWIE stars - where are they now?