Joey Donald Essex (born 29 July 1990)[2] is an English television personality. He came to prominence for his appearances on the ITV reality series The Only Way Is Essex (2011–2013). He went on to appear on various reality television shows, including Splash! (2013), I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2013), The Jump (2015), Celebs Go Dating (2016–2019, 2021), Celebrity Ex on the Beach (2020), Dancing on Ice (2023), and Love Island (2024).

Joey Essex
Born
Joey Donald Essex[1]

(1990-07-29) 29 July 1990 (age 34)
Southwark, London, England
EducationWest Hatch High School
OccupationTelevision personality
Years active2011–present
Relatives

Education

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Essex attended West Hatch High School in Chigwell, Essex.[3] He left school in 2006, having received a U in Drama, a C in Art and a D in Design & Technology at GCSE. Ten years later, as part of a television series, he added a D in General Studies to his qualifications, commenting that "I still don't really know what GCSE stands for."[4]

Career

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Television

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Essex first appeared in The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) as a supporting cast member in the second series with his cousin Chloe Sims but was then promoted to a main cast member in the third series. In 2011, the TOWIE cast recorded and released a single titled "Reem".[5] In 2013, Essex competed in the first series of Splash! where he was eliminated during the "splash-off" in the second heat against television presenter Charlotte Jackson.[6] On 13 November 2013, it was announced that Essex had quit The Only Way Is Essex.[7] Essex also appeared in the thirteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!,[8] and was voted out on 6 December 2013 after 20 days in the jungle, finishing in fourth place.[9]

In March 2014, Essex starred in a one-off documentary called Educating Joey Essex, taking place in South Africa, narrated by Phillip Schofield. ITV2 later ordered a full series that began in June 2014.[10] In 2016, ITV announced that the series has been picked up for a seven part second series; the series aired in the summer of that year with the first episode titled "The Queen's 90th Birthday".[11] In 2015, Essex won the second series of Channel 4's reality show The Jump in 2015, and in 2016, Essex took part in the E4 reality dating series Celebs Go Dating. It was later confirmed that Essex would return to the show for its second series in 2017.[12]

 
Essex (left) alongside Lorena Medina, whom he began dating on Celebrity Ex on the Beach at the National Television Awards in 2020

In 2017, he ranked in fourth place on the Essex Power 100 list, being named the fourth most powerful person in Essex.[13] In 2018, Essex was a guest in the fourth series of BBC One's Michael McIntyre's Big Show. In 2020, Essex appeared on the second series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, as well as MTV's Celebrity Ex on the Beach.[14] In 2021, he appeared in the E4 series Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion.[15]

In 2022, he participated in the eighth season of the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, entering the camp as an intruder in the second episode and finishing the show in sixth place.[16][17] In 2023, Essex came second place on the fifteenth series of Dancing on Ice.

In June 2024, Essex entered the Love Island villa as a contestant on the eleventh series. He entered on the evening of Day 1 as the first "bombshell" of the series. Essex is the first celebrity to appear on the revived version of the show.[18]

Other ventures

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On 8 March 2013, Essex launched a hair products range, Joey Essex: D'Reem Hair.[19][20] On 23 March 2013, he opened his shop Fusey in Brentwood.[21] The shop closed in 2016. On 12 September 2013, Essex launched two fragrances, Fusey aftershave for men and My Girl perfume for women.[22] In February 2016, Essex appeared in adverts for Batchelors Cup-a-Soup.[23] In May 2017, it was announced that Essex would be launching a clothing line titled DAFDEA.[24]

Personal life

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Essex was engaged to fellow TOWIE cast member Sam Faiers, but later split up. They reconciled later in 2012.[25] He then proposed to Faiers again in March 2013 and she accepted. However, the couple split up again on-screen in June 2013 following several arguments between the pair. In October 2014, they announced they had split up "for good".[26]

In June 2012, Essex was mugged at knifepoint in Hammersmith, London.[27]

Essex, whose mother took her own life when he was ten years old, has been an ambassador for Child Bereavement UK since 2014.[28] He addressed her suicide and his grief in the BBC Three documentary Joey Essex: Grief and Me broadcast on 3 June 2021.[29]

Essex moved to Dubai in 2023, following his stint on Dancing on Ice, after thieves reportedly broke into his home in January 2023.[30]

Filmography

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As himself
Year Title Notes
2011–2013 The Only Way Is Essex 109 episodes; series 210[31]
2013 Splash! Contestant; series 1
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant; series 13
2014–2016 Educating Joey Essex Presenter
2015 The Jump Contestant; series 2 (winner)
2016–2019 Celebs Go Dating Participant (series 1–2);
Online presenter (series 4–5)
2018 Five Star Hotel Contestant[32]
2019 Can I Improve My Memory? Television special
MTV Cribs UK 1 episode
Celebrity MasterChef Contestant
2020 Celebrity Ex on the Beach Main cast
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins Contestant
2021 Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion Main cast
Joey Essex: Grief and Me Himself / presenter
2022 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia Contestant; season 8
All Star Shore Contestant; season 1
2023 Dancing on Ice Contestant; series 15[33]
2024 Love Island Contestant; series 11
Guest appearances

Discography

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Album

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Title Details
Joey Essex Presents Essex Anthems

Singles

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Single Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
"Reem" 2011 Non-album singles
"Last Christmas"
(featuring cast of TOWIE series 3)
33
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

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  1. ^ "Joey Essex's net worth and his full story to fame on TOWIE and the I'm A Celebrity jungle". EssexLive. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Joey Essex: A Timeline Of His Life..." DailyFeed. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. ^ "West Hatch High School has not commented on educating the popular Essex boy". This is Local London. Newsquest. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Joey Essex receives GCSE General Studies result live on TV". The Independent. 26 August 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  5. ^ Shah, Kavi (19 June 2011). "TOWIE's Joey Essex signs record deal to release single called Reem". Metro. London. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  6. ^ Westbrook, Caroline (12 January 2013). "Joey Essex misses out on Splash glory as Eddie The Eagle triumphs". Metro. London. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Joey Essex is leaving TOWIE!". Heatworld. 13 November 2013. Archived from the original on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  8. ^ "I'm a Celebrity: Rebecca Adlington, Steve Davis, Joey Essex among cast – I'm A Celebrity News – Reality TV". Digital Spy. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  9. ^ "I'm A Celebrity 2013: viewers react with shock at Joey Essex's unexpected exit alongside Amy Willerton". Metro. London. 6 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Essex gets ITV2 series". BreakingNews.ie. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Educating Joey Essex returns for a second series". Digital Spy. 24 April 2016.
  12. ^ Dodds, Emma (25 January 2017). "Celebs Go Dating is back for season 2! Here's the line-up". Closer. American Media, Inc. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Lord Sugar named most powerful person in Essex, but who else made the list?". 27 October 2017.
  14. ^ Darvill, Josh (22 December 2019). "Celebrity Ex On The Beach cast and start date confirmed for 2020". TellyMix.
  15. ^ "Joey Essex explains exactly why he 'dumps girls so quickly' during his quest for love". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  16. ^ "I'm A Celebrity 2022: International Reality Star Joey Essex Heads Into The Jungle". 10 Play. Network 10. 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  17. ^ Cartwright, Lexie (3 January 2022). "Full I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! cast finally revealed". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  18. ^ Delaney, By Zoe (3 June 2024). "Love Island viewers puzzled as Joey Essex enters villa as first bombshell". The Mirror. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Joey Essex Beach Spray 250Ml – Groceries – Tesco Groceries". Tesco.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Twitter / neonmanagement: JOEY ESSEX D'REEM HAIR". Twitter.com. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  21. ^ "Twitter / JoeyEssex_: Very excited to announce that". Twitter.com. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  22. ^ "Joey Essex poses with two-tone black and pink suit – pictures – The Only Way Is Essex News – Reality TV". Digital Spy. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  23. ^ "Nice and thick: Joey Essex's new cup-a-soup advert". The Guardian. 12 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  24. ^ "Who is Joey Essex and what's his net worth? Former TOWIE star whose mum died when he was 10". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  25. ^ Martin, Laura (3 January 2014). "Joey Essex and Amy Willerton should have been together forever". Daily Mirror. London. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  26. ^ Greenwood, Carl (9 March 2014). "Joey Essex and Sam Faiers are back together the former TOWIE star says". Daily Mirror. London. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  27. ^ Bagwell, Matt (27 June 2012). "Joey Essex Attacked And Robbed By Armed Men Posing As 'TOWIE' Fans". HuffPost. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  28. ^ Ambassadors and Advisors, Child Bereavement UK.
  29. ^ "Joey Essex: Grief and Me" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  30. ^ "Joey Essex reunites with TOWIE pal after debuting dramatic transformation". uk.style.yahoo.com. 10 April 2024.
  31. ^ "Joey Essex". IMDb. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  32. ^ Five Star Hotel (TV Series 2018) - IMDb. Retrieved 5 June 2024 – via www.imdb.com.
  33. ^ "Dancing on Ice". itv.com/presscentre. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  34. ^ "'The Only Way Is Essex's Joey Essex, Sam Faiers for 'Million Pound Drop'". Digital Spy. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  35. ^ "Joey Essex, Kym Marsh to face The Cube next month – TV News". Digital Spy. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  36. ^ "The Cube Episode 1 | presscentre". itv.com. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.

Bibliography

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