It's been five months (not that we're counting) since the last series of TOWIE and we're desperate to see the Essex lot back on our TV screens.
Luckily we spend our working hours (and free time) following the TOWIE cast on social media for the slightest whiff of a series update so we've rounded up everything we know so far.
TOWIE series 31 in Thailand
After scouting the TOWIE cast's Instagram pages we know that in the new series they'll be filming in Essex and then mid-series they head to Thailand.
We get the vibe that TOWIE producers told the cast days before they left the UK because many of our faves – including Amber Turner, Chloe Brockett and Elma Pazar – were doing last-minute collab shout outs, looking for brands to work with while filming abroad.
They all also made last-minute dashes to the shops for essentials (like tanning oil and bikinis), so we got the vibe that they didn't have the dates for long either.
After filming in Thailand finished, Ella teased that a lot of drama happened abroad. While discussing what's in store for viewers, she said during a Q&A on her Instagram, "Enough [drama] to fill the year... off screen drama and on screen."
She then added, "This is reaaaaaal beef no storyline would be followed if it never happened or was made up."
Ella's BFF Dani was also asked if she was involved in drama and her answer is telling.
"Unfortunately yes, I wanted a drama free trip. Maybe next series," she admitted on Instagram.
The last time the cast took a trip for the series they flew out to the Dominican Republic to film the first episodes of series 30 and we all know how that went. Spoiler alert: terribly. New cast member Pia Smith was axed before her episode even aired and as a result, all of her scenes were cut from the show.
Dan Edgar teases Amber Turner 'fall out ' drama
During a fun TikTok game, Amber asked if she was going to fall out with any of the cast in the new series, while the filter responded 'no', Dan didn't seem convinced and insisted, "That is not true."
Hmm.
While there has been speculation surrounding Amber and Chloe B's friendship, they've shut down all the rumours.
Chloe Brockett, Amber Turner and co vs Ella Rae Wise, Dani Imbert and co
We'd like to think we're TOWIE research experts at this point and earlier this year we noticed that the cast were filming in two different locations at the same time. Of course it was the two friendship groups that dominate the drama - one belonging to Chloe B and Amber and (the 'girl band') and the other belonging to Ella Rae Wise and Dani Imbert.
The beef between the two groups is now part of TOWIE folklore, but we've never been aware of a time that production had to split in two to cover both groups at the same time – because they literally can't be in the same room with each other without all hell breaking loose.
While the likes of Chloe B, Elma, Courtney Green, Chloe Meadows, James Lock and Diags (whose real name is James Bennewith) attended a house party at Amber and Dan Edgar's place, Ella, Dani, Junaid Ahmed, Harry Derbidge, Saffron Lempriere and Roman Hackett partied it up in a night club.
Virtually every cast member posted something about celebrating the first week of TOWIE filming, but the shadiest post award goes to Amber who appeared to throw a little venom at her rival group in a cutting Instagram Story video.
The TOWIE star panned the camera around her home to show her squad having a blast, while captioning the post, "With all my faves @danedgar @elmapazar @chloebrockett @chloejmeadows @cournteymegz @diags_, @lockie."
Shade by omission. Ouch.
Notable absences from both parties were Amy Childs, Gatsby, Pete Wicks, Mia Sully and Hannah Voyen.
While Mia, Hannah, Gatsby and Pete have all confirmed they will not be returning for series 31 (Mia and Hannah were axed, Pete announced that he would be walking away from the series after seven years and Gatsby left last season), Amy is set to give birth to twins in April, so we understand turning down a January school night out.
Who is on the cast of TOWIE?
TOWIE 2023 will be a little different because there's been a shake-up on the cast. While two cast members were axed and one OG star quit the show, there's two new stars joining the Essex cast.