TWO Towie OGs pull out of ‘most luxurious cast trip ever’ ahead of new series

TWO original TOWIE cast members will not be heading off on the show’s Bali trip – as their fellow stars prepare to jet off on the “most luxurious getaway ever”.

In a surprise move, TV favourites Lauren Goodger and Amy Childs have decided not to joining the rest of their co-stars on the sunkissed holiday.

Instead, the two OGs will remain in Essex and continue to film their own storylines.

A show source told The Sun: “Lauren and Amy aren’t going on the trip with the cast to Bali.

“With the trips it’s always storyline dependent, so not everyone will go as it’s about getting the right mix of people with interacting plots.

“Amy and Lauren will be staying in Essex, where filming will continue simultaneously, as there is always plenty of drama on home turf.”

The source added: “Both Amy and Lauren were invited on the overseas jaunt but chose to stay behind. They’re both busy mums and didn’t want to leave their kids, and it would have been stressful to take them along.”

The Sun has contacted a Towie rep for comment

The cast trip will be to Bali, where they have previously filmed.

But it still promises drama, tension and some romance like before.

The previous trip to Bali saw Dan Edgar and Ella Rae Wise start their romance.

An insider speaking exclusively to The Sun revealed: “Everyone involved with Towie loved shooting the last cast trip in Bali – so much so they have decided to go back to kick off the next series.

“It looks gorgeous and exotic on camera, and there is always loads of drama that plays out against the glamorous backdrop.

“Who could forget Dan and Ella hooking up in Bali last series – it fuelled the storylines for the rest of the run.”

The current series of Towie has already been streamed 8.5million times on ITVX, with similar numbers expected for the new series.

But not everyone is a fan of the new series, as one iconic star from the show has called for it to come off air.

TOWIE GOODBYE?

Bobby Norris spent nine years on the programme between 2012 and 2021 – pulling in 30 times more viewers than the current series.

Speaking to his Access All Areas co-host Ellen Coughlan on Fubar Radio, he said: “I was a little bit sad, because in my day we used to get between 1.5million and 2million views an episode.

“So when I saw 48,000 viewers, even though I’m not there, it’s sad. I think the legacy is kind of going so downhill now.

“Since the day I left, I’ve never watched the show, but if you can’t even pull in 50,000 viewers, I think, do you know what? Give the show the respect it deserves.

“It’s like having a dog in the corner of the kitchen that’s dragging a broken leg, like you would be kind, and you’d take him to the vet and let him go to sleep.”

However, an ITV spokesperson however insisted that the overnight ratings were far from the full picture as the episodes are uploaded on ITVX before airing on ITVBe.

The rep also claims most fans watch the show on streaming rather than its live broadcast.

They said: “The Only Way Is Essex is one of our most successful reality franchises across ITVX, and the show’s performance and popularity is evident in the 8.5million streams the show has generated across the current series.

“To base the show’s success on overnight figures, which account for less than a quarter of the show’s total audience, is misleading.”