Next series of The Only Way Is Essex delayed due to pandemic

The next series of The Only Way Is Essex has been delayed due to the pandemic.

A brand new series bringing even more glamour, gossip and great laughs was set to debut on ITVBe early this year.

However the ongoing pandemic has forced production to be postponed until later in 2022.

ITV and producers Lime Pictures told The Sun newspaper in a statement: “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.”

A source added that the cast were “gutted” after being informed of the news.

The insider added: “They were told the difficult news this evening but have been reassured it will be worth the wait once the show returns. The next series will be a must watch as everyone is desperate to make up for lost time.”

An insider claimed that when the show returns it will see the cast enjoy a sunny getaway.

“Dubai is at the top of their list and unsurprisingly the cast are hoping it works out. Either way, they all just want to get back to shooting the show,” they shared.

The next series of TOWIE is set to be its landmark 30th, with a teaser previously sharing: “Diving into their real lives, families, relationships and businesses, Essex’s most colourful characters will return as TOWIE’s 30th series debuts on ITV Hub and ITVBE.”

For now you can watch episodes from the latest series of The Only Way is Essex online for free via the ITVHub.

TOWIE first debuted on ITV2 in 2010 and has since aired more than 350 episodes including a recent two-part Christmas special.