TOWIE cast shake-up: Who is leaving ahead of the next series?
Updated 19 October 2026: The Only Way Is Essex is preparing for another cast shake-up, with several familiar faces reportedly stepping away from the ITV reality series while others are expected to return.
The changes follow the conclusion of Series 38, which began in August 2026, and concern the programme's forthcoming series rather than the episodes already broadcast.
Courtney Green takes a break after 10 years
Courtney Green is reportedly taking a break from TOWIE after approximately a decade on the programme.
The reality television personality has been a familiar face since joining in 2016, but reports suggest she has decided to step away temporarily to concentrate on family commitments and business interests.
Her departure is being described as a break rather than a permanent farewell, leaving open the possibility of a future return.
Josh Francis will not return for the next series
Josh Francis has confirmed that he has been rested from the next series.
The 25-year-old joined TOWIE earlier in 2026 and appeared alongside newer cast members, including twins Joe and Jonnie Gurie.
Francis said the decision came as a surprise but explained that he had parted with the programme on good terms, with the possibility of returning in the future.
Becks Bloomberg also leaves TOWIE
Becks Bloomberg is another cast member reported to be leaving ahead of the next series.
Having joined the programme in 2024, she featured in several storylines involving friendships and disagreements within the Essex cast.
Reports indicate that Bloomberg decided to move on from the programme to concentrate on her family and business commitments.
Which TOWIE stars are expected to return?
Despite the departures, several established cast members are reportedly set to remain.
According to reports published in October, the returning line-up is expected to include:
- Amy Childs
- Lauren Goodger
- Dan Edgar
- Ella Rae Wise
- Jodie Wells
- Livvy Jay
- Joe and Jonnie Gurie
Other established personalities are also expected to feature, although the full cast for the forthcoming series has not yet been formally announced by ITV.
The changes suggest producers are refreshing the programme's line-up while retaining several of its best-known personalities.
The latest cast reports relate to the next series of TOWIE. Viewers looking for the cast of Series 38 can find the full line-up below.
Sources: The Sun — October cast update and Josh Francis confirms he will miss the next TOWIE series — What’s On In Chelmsford
TOWIE 2026: Who’s in the new cast, who has left and where the latest series was filmed
The Only Way Is Essex is back for another series in 2026, bringing a mixture of familiar faces, new cast members, relationship drama and another overseas trip — but Essex itself remains at the heart of the long-running ITV reality show.
The latest run of TOWIE launched on Sunday 2 August 2026, with new episodes airing on ITV2 and streaming on ITVX.
Widely described as Series 38, the new series follows another busy year for the programme, which has now been on television for more than 15 years.
And despite predictions over the years that TOWIE's time might be coming to an end, viewing figures suggest there is still considerable interest in what the Essex cast are doing.
ITV revealed that TOWIE was the most-streamed reality programme on ITVX during August 2026, with the latest series recording streaming growth compared with the previous run.
Who is in the TOWIE 2026 cast?
The following cast members appeared in Series 38, which began in August 2026. Several changes have since been reported ahead of the next series, as detailed above.
The current TOWIE cast combines some of the programme's longest-serving personalities with newer additions.
Returning cast members include:
Amy Childs – one of the original TOWIE stars, who has become a regular fixture on the programme again.
Harry Derbidge – another long-standing cast member whose friendships and relationships continue to feature heavily.
Lauren Goodger – an original cast member who returned to TOWIE in 2024 following a lengthy absence.
James 'Diags' Bennewith – one of the show's longest-serving cast members.
Dan Edgar – another familiar face who has appeared in TOWIE for more than a decade.
Courtney Green
Amber Turner
Jordan Brook
Sophie Kasaei
Saffron Lempriere
Ella Rae Wise
Dani Imbert
Billy Delbosq
Elma Pazar
Junaid Ahmed
Joe Blackman
Jodie Wells
Livvy Jay
Freddie Bentley
Becks Bloomberg
The latest series has also featured Joe and Jonnie Gurie, 19-year-old identical twins who joined TOWIE during 2026.
Josh Francis is another of the newer faces introduced to the programme.
Amy Childs' brother Wills Childs has also become part of the TOWIE line-up.
Who isn't in the latest TOWIE cast?
There have been several notable departures.
Roman Hackett, Sammy Root and Matilda Draper all left the programme ahead of the earlier 2026 series.
Chloe Meadows also announced that she was taking a break from TOWIE.
It means the current line-up looks considerably different from the cast many viewers will remember from previous years — and almost completely different from the original TOWIE era dominated by names including Mark Wright, Joey Essex, Gemma Collins, Lydia Bright and James Argent.
What has happened in the new series?
The new series began in Essex before moving some of the cast to Albania, where several of its biggest storylines developed.
One of the main plots has surrounded Junaid Ahmed and Joe Blackman, with Junaid proposing to Joe during the cast's trip.
Their engagement subsequently caused divisions within the wider group and provided much of the drama during the middle of the series.
Harry Derbidge's reaction was particularly significant because Joe is his former partner, while Junaid was previously one of Harry's closest friends.
The Albania episodes have also featured disputes involving Lauren Goodger and Junaid, while Dani Imbert's relationship with newcomer Jonnie Gurie has generated plenty of discussion among both the cast and viewers.
Saffron Lempriere, Ella Rae Wise, Freddie Bentley and Elma Pazar have also been involved in some of the series' major friendship fallouts.
Where was TOWIE filmed in Albania?
The overseas section of the current series was filmed around Dhërmi on the Albanian Riviera.
Cast members were filmed at beach clubs, restaurants and coastal locations during the trip, with the Albanian scenery providing the backdrop for Saffron's birthday celebrations and Junaid's proposal to Joe.
The Albania episodes represent the latest in a long line of overseas TOWIE trips, but once the cast returned to Britain the action moved firmly back to Essex.
How has the latest TOWIE series been received?
Reaction has been decidedly mixed.
Commercially, TOWIE remains remarkably resilient.
ITV reported that The Only Way Is Essex topped its Reality streaming category during August, with viewing of the programme increasing compared with the previous series.
That follows ITV previously reporting tens of millions of TOWIE streams on ITVX over a 12-month period.
Online reaction to the actual content has been less universally positive.
Some viewers have criticised the reliance on arguments and relationship disputes and questioned whether the newer cast members have the same natural chemistry as the original TOWIE line-up.
The addition of the Gurie twins has divided viewers, while the age difference and relationship between Jonnie Gurie and Dani Imbert has generated considerable discussion.
Other viewers have responded more positively to the Junaid and Joe engagement storyline and scenes involving genuine friendships between established cast members.
One seemingly innocent conversation during the Albania trip even went viral when cast members debated whether the River Thames eventually connects to the sea.
For the record — it does.
The Thames flows into the Thames Estuary and ultimately the North Sea.
Whatever viewers think about the latest cast, however, the streaming numbers suggest TOWIE continues to attract a substantial audience more than 15 years after it first appeared on television.
Where is TOWIE filmed in Essex?
TOWIE has always used real pubs, restaurants, bars, hotels and attractions around Essex as filming locations.
Brentwood remains synonymous with the programme, but filming over the years has spread much further across the county.
Locations officially credited by ITV in previous episodes have included venues in Brentwood, Ongar, Chigwell and Chelmsford.
Among the pubs, restaurants and venues to have appeared or been credited as TOWIE filming locations are:
- Sugar Hut, Brentwood
- Brentwood Kitchen
- The Merchant, Brentwood
- The Owl
- The Stag, Ongar
- Figo
- The Dog & Pickle
- Aura
- Elmo's
- The Standard
- The Gallery Bar and Brasserie
- Zamana
- Giggling Squid, Brentwood
- Roslin Beach Hotel
- Barge East
- The Vault, Shenfield
And Chelmsford has appeared in the programme too.
Has TOWIE ever been filmed in Chelmsford?
Yes.
ITV's own TOWIE production credits confirm a number of Chelmsford locations have been used by the programme.
One of the clearest examples is Spritz Social Chelmsford, which was credited as a location for Series 28.
Other Chelmsford or Chelmsford-area locations appearing in ITV's historical production credits include AT Music Studio Chelmsford, Channels Brasserie and Leez Priory.
That means Chelmsford's connection to TOWIE isn't simply because members of the cast live, shop or socialise around the city — the programme has actually filmed here.
We haven't yet found a confirmed Chelmsford filming location among the episodes of the current 2026 series, but we'll update this article if one appears.
Looking for the locations behind the show? Read our complete guide to where TOWIE is filmed in Essex, including Chelmsford filming locations.
Current TOWIE stars recently spotted in Chelmsford
Chelmsford's TOWIE connection is continuing away from the cameras.
Current cast members Junaid Ahmed and Joe Blackman attended the R&B Lovers Festival in Chelmsford during the latest series.
The pair had only recently been shown getting engaged during the programme's Albania episodes.
It is another example of the crossover between the TOWIE cast and Chelmsford, despite Brentwood traditionally being regarded as the show's spiritual home.
When can you watch TOWIE?
The latest series of The Only Way Is Essex launched on 2 August 2026.
Episodes are shown on ITV2 and are also available to stream through ITVX.
TOWIE remains one of ITV's longest-running reality television programmes, having first launched in October 2010.
And with the programme continuing to attract millions of streams, Essex — including Chelmsford — looks likely to remain firmly in the reality television spotlight.