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With The Challenge: Battle of the Eras recently wrapping up, fans have shifted their focus to the next seasons of the competition series.

One of those upcoming seasons is The Challenge: All Stars 5, aka Rivals, which features familiar faces teamed up with their rival castmates.

Among them are former show winners Devin Walker, Turabi “Turbo” Camkiran, and Ashley “Millionaire” Mitchell.

While that will satisfy some fans watching MTV, others eagerly anticipate whether Season 41 can become one of the show’s best in recent years.

As of this writing, no official details, such as a theme, premiere date, or cast members, have been provided for Season 41.

However, an insider has presented some early potential cast members who could appear in the upcoming MTV season.

An insider revealed seven potential cast members for Season 41

Before each season that The Challenge films, pre-departure speculation arrives online about which cast members will participate. That...

The Challenge star Zach Nichols explained why he felt bad for Horacio Gutierrez after watching how things went on Battle of the Eras.

Viewers saw host Tj Lavin announce the Eras Invitational, where competitors who finished last in the opening challenge, automatically went to elimination.

Unfortunately, Nurys Mateo had a subpar performance, sending her from the Era 4 team to The Arena.

During deliberation, she called out her rival, Olivia Kaiser, and the Era 4 daily challenge winners, Horacio and Michele Fitzgerald, granted Nurys’ request.

Unfortunately, Nurys didn’t get an elimination that benefited her, as she went into Hall Brawl against Olivia.

While Nurys gave it a decent effort, she was outsized and outmatched by Olivia, who ousted her from Season 40 early as Horacio watched.

Zach says he felt bad for Horacio and Nurys during Battle of the Eras

In an Instagram clip from his Zach Nichols Podcast, the former Challenge...

The Challenge Season 40 cast has officially dropped by one-fourth of the original number of competitors.

As of this writing, 10 eliminations have occurred, and some of the individuals ousted from the game are former champions, finalists, and fan favorites.

Online spoilers continue to paint a picture suggesting the possibility of a large alliance running the game again.

While spoilers have yet to reveal all 10 elimination matchups, four were spoiled, and one featured a battle between two recent rivals.

Both were classic elimination events, which should excite many fans about the upcoming season.

This report will contain spoilers from The Challenge Season 40 filming in Vietnam.

Spoilers reveal more of The Challenge Season 40 eliminations

Based on the latest online spoilers, two more players are eliminated from Season 40, and one is a former champion.

According to the Vevmo forum thread, former Road Rules: X-Treme star Jodi Weatheron has been sent home by another competitor.

According to Moriah Jadea, Johnny Bananas, her ex-showmance from The Challenge, continues talking about her months after their off-show situation ended.

The two were castmates on Ride or Dies, where they struck up a showmance and enjoyed time together that season.

They continued to hang out after that season ended, and Bananas even appeared in a promo video spotlighting Moriah’s call to tell her she was on Season 39. However, they never officially became boyfriend and girlfriend.

When Moriah showed up for Season 39, aka Battle For a New Champion, she found a new love interest, The Challenge: UK’s James Lock.

That led to some interesting comments from Moriah about not wanting to hurt or embarrass Bananas. While he wasn’t physically part of the show, he was still in a storyline and mentioned through other castmates’ remarks.

This report will contain minor spoilers for MTV’s The Challenge Season...

Nurys Mateo had what many fans of The Challenge might call a breakout performance in the recent Battle For a New Champion season.

While Nurys didn’t enter the game as a rookie, she was entering her second season, and this time, she had to fight against tougher odds.

Nurys won multiple eliminations to earn her spot in the Season 39 final, something no other finalists could say they did.

While she finished second, fans praised Nurys for rising to the occasion throughout the season, including standing up to and calling out her opponents.

She also found love during the filming of the season, as she and showmance Horacio Gutierrez have continued dating beyond MTV’s show.

Thanks to the above, Nurys established herself as a new fan-favorite competitor on MTV’s show. She also recently won multiple awards for Season 39, setting a new record.

Nurys achieves a record number of...

The Challenge may have saved the best for last with their eight-episode Home Turf series as “Captain Save a Show” will finally get the spotlight.

Seven-time winner Johnny Bananas will appear in the eighth and final episode of the YouTube series, which has looked at other cast members, including Cara Maria Sorbello, Ct Tamburello, and Tori Deal.

The series, which premiered several months ago, focuses on the background stories of some of MTV’s iconic and fan-favorite cast members from The Challenge.

In a preview clip featuring Bananas, he’s shown driving around his hometown in Fullerton, California, pointing out some of the memorable spots from his past.

“St. Jude’s Hospital. I spent a lot of time there as a child,” he shared, pointing out a scar on his forehead where he’d received “stitches three times in the exact same spot.”

Next, he points out his former school and principal’s office,...

The second part of The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion reunion featured cast members claiming Jay Starrett was unfaithful to his girlfriend during a moment not captured on film.

During the special, there was a segment about various cast members’ showmances and hookups, including the ones fans saw.

Those included Horacio Gutierrez and Nurys Mateo, Kyland Young and Melissa Reeves, and James Lock with Moriah Jadea.

However, a few other potential hookups or makeout scenes didn’t make Season 39’s final footage and got attention at the reunion.

One clip featured Emanuel Neagu heading to the shower to join castmate Berna Canbeldek.

While some cast members were surprised, another big revelation arrived. Several cast members claimed Jay was kissing a castmate despite having a girlfriend back home.

Jay denied claims he kissed Season 39 castmate

According to cast members, including Nurys, Tula “Big T” Fazakerley, and Moriah, their castmates Jay...

The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion has introduced fans to a favorite new showmance with castmates Nurys Mateo and Horacio Gutierrez.

They both appeared on Ride or Dies, but each had different interests in the house, as Nurys explored showmances with Johnny Middlebrooks and Jordan Wiseley.

Horacio had a brief showmance with Laurel Stucky. He later turned his focus to the game, as he and his rookie teammate, Olivia Kaiser, survived multiple eliminations and reached the final.

It wasn’t until Season 39 that Nurys turned her attention to Horacio, and the two had sparks.

Viewers witnessed an emotional Episode 16 for Nurys as she got a bittersweet elimination victory by defeating her man Horacio and friend Kyland Young.

Like many couples, Nurys recently explained that Horacio doesn’t listen to her, but regarding an important aspect of relationships and the game.

Nurys dishes on Horacio after Season 39: ‘He stresses...

Moriah Jadea experienced difficult emotions while on MTV’s The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion due to her conflicted feelings about her showmances.

On the one hand, she had left her previous showmance, Johnny Bananas from Ride or Dies, behind to film the new season without him.

On the other hand, she met The Challenge: UK’s James Lock, who she quickly became attracted to and interested in, sparking a new Season 39 showmance.

Throughout the episodes, a storyline highlighted her situation related to Bananas, who was teased as one of the returning Challenge champions coming to the show.

He never appeared, but other returning champs mentioned him to Moriah when they were at The Arena.

In a recent podcast appearance, Moriah claimed she still felt upset over hurting Bananas, explaining why she felt so bad.

She revealed she’d also sent her Ride or Dies showmance a special gift,...

The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion star Jay Starrett indicated that he doesn’t mind all the criticism and “hate” he’s getting from viewers.

Jay returned for the 39th season of MTV’s competition show after teaming up with Michele Fitzgerald on the previous season, Ride or Dies.

With Michele and Jay among the few veteran cast members on Battle For a New Champion, they had friendships with many individuals in the house.

That allowed them to orchestrate a significant alliance and get the many people working with them to follow their plan.

It also made for a dramatic move in Episode 16, when Jay’s friend of five years, Nurys Mateo, was left in the bottom three and went into elimination.

While Nurys’ friend, Olivia Kaiser, could’ve saved her instead of choosing Moriah Jadea, Jay seemed the most upset over Nurys’ fate, resulting in host Tj Lavin...

The Challenge star Nurys Mateo said she was ready to go home from Battle For a New Champion due to frustrations about the game.

Nurys was among the returning stars from Ride or Dies participating in Season 39, which featured a theme to determine a first-time champion.

However, viewers saw her sent into elimination in a shocking moment, which included Olivia Kaiser– someone she felt was a friend, saving another cast member before her at the voting.

In a surprising turn of events, Olivia chose to save Moriah Jadea, ultimately leaving Nurys among the three competitors going into elimination.

This happened after Nurys had decided to save Olivia the week before. To make things worse, Nurys was going into the three-person elimination against her showmance, Horacio Gutierrez, and friend, Kyland Young.

Nurys made Challenge history by defeating two of the top competitors in Season 39 in the elimination and sending them home.

Michele Fitzgerald executed an impressive season of The Challenge as she navigated the complexities of a large alliance in Battle For a New Champion.

Unfortunately, her hard work behind the scenes, playing the political game, cultivating friendships, and managing various personalities in her alliance helped many of her friends get farther than she did.

In Episode 17, viewers watched Michele get purged after being the first to fall into the water during the Drumroll daily challenge.

With that sudden drop, her chance at reaching her first-ever final on the show and possibly winning came crashing down.

She revealed after her exit that she was proud of her gameplay during the season but is now “grateful for a break.”

Note that this report may contain spoilers for upcoming The Challenge seasons on MTV.

Michele said she received ‘so much hate’ for Season 39

While her loss was disappointing, Michele bowed out gracefully as...

According to Olivia Kaiser, her situation with Nurys Mateo after filming The Challenge: Battle New Champion seems to be “ever-changing.”

They initially appeared as castmates on MTV’s Season 38, Ride or Dies, which was also their rookie season.

Nurys teamed with veteran competitor Nelson Thomas, who ended up having a showmance with Olivia that lasted throughout filming and ended shortly after.

During the season, Olivia teamed with Horacio Gutierrez, whom she revealed she hadn’t known until she was cast for the MTV competition series. The impressive newcomers reached the final as rookies, but an injury eliminated them from winning.

Heading into Season 39, Olivia and Nurys appeared to have a solid friendship. Nurys ended up in a showmance with Olivia’s ride-or-die Horacio, which seemed to strengthen their alliance.

Later in the season, Olivia made a surprising decision in the game that upset Nurys and made it seem she could no longer trust Olivia.

As The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion moved closer to the final, another purge and elimination were needed to reduce the number of competitors.

In Episode 17, Nurys Mateo returned to the house, indicating she trusted no one after she’d just been sent into elimination against her showmance Horacio Gutierrez and her friend Kyland Young.

Nurys eliminated the two guys many felt were the biggest threats to the men’s side of the field, making Jay Starrett, Michele Fitzgerald, and others happy.

However, Nurys told her castmates, “F*** y’all,” and that she wouldn’t share any details about what the Conquest elimination event included.

Karma became a prominent theme with Nurys’ return as she and Olivia Kaiser talked, as well as Jay and Nurys, following what happened.

This report contains spoilers from The Challenge Season 39, Episode 17, including the names of the purge and eliminated competitors.

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Following a dramatic episode of The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion, Olivia Kaiser told her side of the story involving Horacio Gutierrez, Nurys Mateo, and the surprising decision she made.

According to the former Love Island contestant, she received much backlash and hate after The Challenge episode aired, so she felt she deserved an opportunity to talk about what happened.

The Ride or Dies finalist said plenty was not shown during the recent MTV season, including footage of her stronger friendships in The Challenge house.

Speaking of friendships, Olivia also revealed a bombshell that she and Horacio Gutierrez were not friends before they partnered on Ride or Dies. Instead, they were introduced before going on the competition show.

However, she indicated that they bonded during the season. Still, she explained that she had many conflicts during Season 39 because Horacio hadn’t told her he’d be returning for the season.

Former The Challenge and Real World star Zach Nichols continues to express strong opinions about the cast members of Battle For a New Champion.

The latest included remarks directed at Moriah Jadea, whom he called “delusional” for how she’s played the game to save her showmance over people she’d met and bonded with on her first season of The Challenge.

In the recent episode of Season 39, viewers saw Jay Starrett and Michele Fitzgerald having to figure out how to make the many members of their large alliance happy and safe while trying to eliminate two of the game’s top competitors.

Since Moriah has been linked with James Lock during the season due to a showmance, she wanted to keep him safe again.

With Jay having the first vote for who to save and Michele his ride or die in the game, Michele told Moriah that her man...

As The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion weeds out its finalists, alliances and friendships are tested.

Several of those friendships were seriously fractured in Season 39, Episode 16, as multiple competitors got sent home from the game.

At one point in the episode, Nurys Mateo contemplated leaving the show due to the ongoing drama and feeling some people there didn’t have her best interests at heart.

She became particularly displeased with Olivia Kaiser and Jay Starrett, whom she had considered friends at the beginning of the season but realized they might not be.

By the end of the episode, it was clear to viewers why Olivia and Nurys are no longer friends, and a preview showed Nurys unloading on Jay and others in the upcoming episode.

As Episode 16 aired, Nurys reacted to what was shown and told fans her thoughts about what happened.

Nurys blasts Olivia and Jay after Episode...

The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion continues to heat up with drama as alliances navigate the Conquest phase en route to the final.

With this phase, there’s a purge in each episode’s daily challenge based on whoever finishes in last place from the cast.

The daily challenge winner gets safety from the Conquest elimination later in the episode.

They also set off a chain reaction vote, determining the three competitors who will fight for survival in that elimination.

Once again, the season’s prominent alliance leaders found themselves squirming as they tried to devise a plan to eliminate their toughest opponents.

This report contains spoilers from The Challenge Season 39, Episode 16, including the names of cast members who were eliminated.

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Who went home in The Challenge 39, Episode 16 purge?

Competitors again competed individually for the second daily challenge of the Conquest phase.

The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion entered its final phase as Chaos ended, and Conquest began eliminating more competitors before the final.

The Chaos phase featured the arrival of the ten former Challenge champions to The Arena, including Cara Maria Sorbello, Laurel Stucky, Jordan Wiseley, and Chris “Ct” Tamburello.

Several champs ousted Season 39 cast members from the game, while others were defeated.

When host Tj Lavin revealed Conquest, he indicated it would be an individual game now and that whoever came in last place in the daily challenge would be sent home via a purge.

The winner also received safety from elimination, starting a chain reaction of votes that ultimately determined who would fight to stay in the game.

When all was said and done, two competitors got sent home from Season 39 with no more chance at winning that hefty grand prize.

One competitor was eliminated in the first...

The Challenge season 39 cast includes contestants from Big Brother and Survivor, as well as returning champions who will make surprise appearances during eliminations. The cast features a diverse group of individuals like Jessica Brody, Berna Canbeldek, Ed Eason, and Michele Fitzgerald, among others. Champion competitors such as Ct Tamburello, Cara Maria Sorbello, and Jordan Wiseley will also make surprise returns for eliminations.

The Challenge season 39 cast has been announced, and it includes contestants from Big Brother and Survivor, along with returning champions who will only make surprise appearances during eliminations. The reality competition series is hosted by Tj Lavin and features players competing against each other in physical challenges. At the end of it all, the winner leaves with a grand prize. There have been multiple spin-offs over the years, and competitors from other reality shows have taken part along the way, including during the currently-airing The Challenge: USA season 2, which features contestants from Survivor,...

MTV's flagship reality franchise, The Challenge, is gearing up for one of its biggest seasons yet.

The cabler on Tuesday morning confirmed The Challenge Season 39 will be subtitled "Battle for a New Champion."

"This season, returning contenders are hungry for their first victory, competing against each other and legendary Challenge champions in a fight for the throne," the logline teases.

The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion will feature 24 fierce contenders vying for the crown as they endure the ultimate test of willpower with unpredictable formats and shocking twists.

This season, mental and physical limits will be pushed further than ever before as contenders must face off against rotating vets in surprise eliminations.

With the stakes higher than ever, this new era of competitors must beat the best to be the best.

Ultimately, who will solidify their legacy and emerge as a first-time champion?

The new season premieres Wednesday,...

Now that she's officially a royal, Meghan Markle has "girls trips" privileges with Queen Elizabeth! The British monarch and her new granddaughter-in-law embarked on their first joint engagement on Thursday, June 14, less than a month after Meghan tied the knot with Prince Harry and married into the royal family. (You may have seen a few casual mentions about those low-key nuptials.) By contrast, Kate Middleton didn't go on her first solo outing with the Queen until 11 months after her 2011 royal wedding to Prince William. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) For their June 14 outing, Meghan and the Queen took the Royal Train to Chesire, an English county about 180 miles northwest of London. There, the two royals opened a new bridge in the town of Widnes, attended the opening of the Storehouse Theatre in the town of Chester (laughing gleefully as they watched a children's dance performance), and lunched at Chester's Town Hall.

Lauren Goodger has given Danielle Armstrong love advice. The 29-year-old star, who was known for her on/off relationship with Mark Wright three years ago, has returned to 'The Only Way is Essex' for the Christmas special and, despite her failed love life, has been helping the blonde beauty with her turbulent romance with James 'Lockie' Lock. Danielle said: ''Lauren only did one cameo in the special. She was with Chloe Sims and I had just got back from Scotland and went to see Chloe because she couldn't come to Scotland because she was looking after her daughter Maddie. ''So I was...

It looks like things could be over for The Only Way is Essex's troubled couple Arg and Lydia, when they fail to resolve their issues in tonight's episode.

Instead of clearing the air, she texts him and asks him for more time to think.

However, Arg doesn't have much time for tears when Tommy, Dan and Diags arrive to take him camping for the night.

Elsewhere, others are having a nicer time when it comes to matters of the heart - Lockie and Danni continue to flirt and a reunion for the pair could be on the cards.

Also up for a possible reunion are Jake and Chloe. Lewis and Nicole also build bridges but Mike turning up could ruin things.

Meanwhile, when Ferne, Danni, Billie and Pete have a lunch date, baby Nelly takes a shine to 'perfect man' Pete.

The Only Way Is Essex continues on October 28 at 10pm on ITVBe.

The future looks bleak for The Only Way Is Essex's troubled couple Arg and Lydia, as the pair meet for crisis talks on this Sunday's new episode.

Things look uncertain as the pair put all of their grievances out on the table at Mike's birthday party.

Arg apologises profusely, but Lydia says she's tired of his empty promises. Could this be the end for the pair?

Elsewhere, while one romance could be coming to an end, another could be about to start again between Danni and Lockie.

The pair can't stay away from each other, and continue to flirt at every chance they get.

Meanwhile, Ferne and Liam go on another date, and Pete takes Jess out ice skating.

The Only Way Is Essex airs on ITVBe at 10pm on Sunday, October 25.

Things are still bad on The Only Way is Essex for Arg and Lydia after their huge row on last week's show.

Arg seeks comfort from his mum after Lydia rejects his heartfelt letter.

Lydia gets teary eyed as she offloads her emotions onto Tommy and Georgia before heading on a girls' night out to try and forget about the drama.

However, when Arg spots a picture Lydia and Georgia have posted on Twitter, he gets upset.

Elsewhere, Kate is left speechless when Dan, Diags and Lockie turn up in full Top Gun outfits so Dan can impress her.

In dating news, Lewis takes Nicole to a sports hall for a date and Jess, feeling guilty about where she left things with Pete, spots him out and asks him for another shot.

The drama continues on The Only Way is Essex on October 21 on ITVBe at 10pm.

Ferne McCann is left in an awkward situation when a shopping trip turns sour.

After Ferne runs into Kate Wright and fills her in on her disagreement with Chloe Lewis, she finds herself in a heated exchanged with Chloe who was in the changing rooms and had heard every word.

The women continue to argue, and the situation escalates as Ferne labels Chloe's relationship with Jake Hall a "joke".

Following the showdown in the shop, Ferne spots Liam Blackwell getting into shape outside Billie Faiers's shop, and the two continue flirting, leading to Ferne receiving a surprise delivery of flowers from Liam during a girls' night in.

Meanwhile, Nicole faces a difficult decision when she catches up with ex Lewis for a drink. With Michael also fighting for her attention, is Nicole ready to move on?

Elsewhere, Bobby decides to take up rugby and asks Lockie and Pete for tips on bodybuilding,...

The Only Way is Essex gang are still causing a stir in Marbella and this time a familiar face has joined in on the fun.

Lewis Bloor's ex-girlfriend Nicole Bass is spotted by the boys and catches the eye of newbie Mike.

Lewis gets wind that Mike may be in pursuit of her and is quick to vent to Lockie and Jake.

Elsewhere, Jake and Tommy have a row about Tommy taking Chloe out with Mike, with Jake pulling him up on his loyalty to their friendship.

However, Tommy is outraged and says he's only been a good friend to Chloe from the start.

Arg re-takes his theory test, and his nearest and dearest gather to hold a celebratory party in hope that he passes.

After staying behind in Essex, Tommy and Georgia have a toast to their year anniversary.

The Only Way is Essex airs on Sundays at 10pm on ITVBe.

Danielle Armstrong thinks she and James 'Lockie' Lock would still be together if it weren't for 'The Only Way Is Essex'. The 27-year-old star called time on her relationship with her long-term boyfriend earlier this year despite his plans to propose and she's now revealed she blames the reality show for ruining their romance. She exclusively told Bang Showbiz: ''I think me and James would probably still be together if it weren't for the show. ''When we dated [before 'Towie'], he was an electrician and I worked in fashion and he would come and meet me in his white van and I would...

It's good news for The Only Way Is Essex stars James 'Lockie' Lock and Elliott Wright, as they recently "cleared the air" after their blowout earlier this summer.

As Lockie reveals in the new video below, he bumped into Elliott in Marbella. He says they're not quite "brothers again", but things are on the up for the former best friends.

9 of Gemma Collins' best bits as she quits Towie, from designer vaginas to earning your divaship

The two had got into it at a pool party in Marbella back in June, squaring up to one another in front of then-girlfriends Chloe Sims and Danielle Armstrong.

Meanwhile, Lockie also said that he and Danielle are now talking to one another following their recent break-up - however, he's not sure if the couple will ever get back together.

"We want to be civil. I've got a lot of time for Danielle,...

Danielle Armstrong is currently the most emotional girl in Essex, as she's been named the biggest sobber in this series of Towie.

After tonight's finale - in which Danielle breaks down again - she will have cried nine times across the 12-episode series. And if you don't believe us, ITV sent us this handy picture to prove it:

Danni's emotional state is understandable, given that she broke up with her nearly-fiancé Lockie in Marbella at the beginning of the series.

But her bouts of blubbering this series now mean that she is tied for third place with Lydia Bright when it comes to who has cried the most in the entire show, as both of them have wept 21 times (although Lydia only let it out once this series).

The Only Way Is Essex turns 15: How well do you know Towie? Take our quiz to find out

Former cast...

Danni is still furious following Verity's flirtation with Lockie, and an argument sparks in this week's The Only Way Is Essex after she refuses to accept her apology.

The argument leads Verity to make a shocking revelation that could put a strain on Danni's relationship.

Elsewhere, Gemma tells Chloe that she wants to start afresh with Bobby.

Chloe passes on the news to a surprised Bobby, before the pair meet later at Bobby's Pride night.

Towie: The girls turn on Lauren

Lauren is still upset after feeling ostracised by the girls, telling Ferne: "I feel like I've got a pack of wolves trying to taint people's opinions of me."

Later, she speaks to Dan and tells him: "I am a bit gutted because I feel like, for me and Jess to be alright, me and you can't be'."

The Only Way Is Essex continues on ITVBe...

Tensions rise in this week's episode of The Only Way is Essex, as the group shuts out an isolated Lauren.

Danni is still furious following Lockie's flirtation with Verity, and holds Lauren partly responsible for breaking the "girl code".

Towie Mario Falcone defends Jake Hall's jealousy: 'He shows he loves Chloe'

There's tears aplenty, as Danni breaks down while discussing Lauren's behaviour with Ferne, Chloe S, Gemma and Jess.

Danni's mum always said that you can't "trust a girl that hasn't got a lot of girl mates", and now Danni is starting to agree with her.

Gemma, meanwhile, delivers her own verdict on Lauren, describing her as "calculating" and "as cold as ice".

After bumping into an emotional Danni in the street, it all gets a bit too much for Lauren, who breaks down while talking to Mario. With all these tears, Kleenex must be making a fortune.

James Lock will not be suspended from 'The Only Way Is Essex'. The 27-year-old television personality was accused of using a racist term but a spokesperson for the ITVBe show has confirmed they will be taking no further action. In a statement, they said: ''We have concluded our thorough investigation and are satisfied that no racial abuse took place during filming on Wednesday 1st July.'' The investigation was launched when a person nearby allegedly heard James refer to some people as ''black f******''. A spokesperson said at the time: ''Any issues of this nature are obviously taken very seriously and a thorough investigation is...

The Only Way Is Essex cast member James Lock has denied allegations that he "racially abused" two men on the set of the Brentwood-based reality TV show.

The reality TV star is claimed to have used racial insults against the men during a recent pool party at Essex mansion Pine Grove in Chigwell, according to The Sun.

The alleged racist remark was reported to programme producers by a witness, and a production source has claimed that a "thorough investigation" is ongoing.

However, Essex Police has since confirmed to Mirror Online that it has no record of any complaint.

A Towie spokesperson added: "The cast member concerned denies these allegations," and Digital Spy has reached out seeking further comment from ITVBe.

The 27-year-old was suspended from the ITVBe show in February last year without pay, following his arrest for possessing class C drug ketamine.

He later pleaded guilty in court and...

James Lock faces a second ban from 'The Only Way is Essex' after accusations he racially abused two men on set. The reality star was talking to the men at a pool party at the Essex Pine Grove mansion when he was reportedly overheard calling them ''black f******'' by someone nearby, who made a formal complaint about the comments to TV bosses. Whilst the alleged victims haven't made complaints against the star, an investigation has been launched into the incident. A spokesperson for the ITVBe structured reality show told The Sun newspaper: ''Any issues of this nature are obviously taken very seriously and...

The Gc is most definitely back in The Only Way is Essex.

After last week's showdown between Gemma Collins, Lauren Pope and Bobby-Cole Norris, another row is set to break out that divides the residents of Essex.

That clash started after an unflattering impression Lauren made of Gemma and ended with Bobby "wearing a cheap glass of sauvignon blanc" in his own words.

The drama picks up again in tonight's episode as Gemma breaks down to Ferne, Chloe S and Danni - promising she will "never speak to Bobby again" and calling Lauren a "rat".

Elsewhere in the county, Lauren and Vas discuss their side of how the argument developed and Lauren says she thinks Gemma's problem is she "genuinely doesn't like that [they're] not intimated by her".

But Lauren and Vas's attempts to clear the air with Bobby backfire, as his other friends warn him not to shun Gemma.

If this week's edition of The Only Way Is Essex is anything to go by, Gemma Collins's friends should never do impressions of her.

What starts as a slightly snide vocal impersonation by Lauren Pope turns nasty when Gemma gets wind of the prank.

Towie Mario Falcone defends Jake Hall's jealousy: 'He shows he loves Chloe'

Towie Mario, Ferne defend Pete Wicks from 'jealous' Lewis, Tommy

Gemma's showdown with Lauren and Vas J Morgan gets going with Gemma quipping that the impression shows "[Lauren's] got a bit of personality babe".

That doesn't sit well with Lauren, who fires back: "I'd rather have my personality than your personality any day of the week!'

Things go from bad to worse when Gemma waves off Vas's demands for her to leave Lauren alone, as she declares: "I don't go nowhere because I'm the Gc. She's back!"

Bobby-Cole Norris...

It's the moment you've been waiting for: Gemma Collins is returning to The Only Way is Essex tonight (July 1).

The self-proclaimed Queen Bea of Essex even hails a new beginning for herself after receiving some home truths from her closest friends - and especially once Ferne tells her what 'Gc' really stands for.

Gemma and her mates are at a bonfire when Ferne tells her that Gc is 'rude, brash and demanding', but Gemma pledges to change her ways for good. Can Gemma really change, though?

Meanwhile, date night in Essex sees Lauren go bowling with Dan and Jess play pool with Pete. However, Jess is upset over Lauren's handling of the Dan situation and confronts her at brunch.

Arg gives Jake some words of wisdom, as Jake and Chloe's on-off relationship is still a hot topic for the group. Will they be able to work things out?

Tommy...

Feminism, fitness and of course, in-fighting – it could only be this week's drama-packed episode of The Only Way is Essex.

The gang get together for an evening devoted to girl power, but things soon turn sour when Ferne suggests that Georgia is a doormat.

The exchanges grow heated at The Cocktail Bar, and with tears in her eyes, an angry Georgia hits back at Ferne, telling her: 'Your morals are disgusting.'

Meanwhile, the boys enjoy a steak and beer night and Pete attempts to clear the air with Tommy. Unfortunately, his efforts backfire and the boys give him some home truths of their own.

Danni and Lockie end up arguing yet again after Lockie says she is giving him mixed signals.

However, Lockie is eager to get things back on track, and continues with counselling on his own.

Jake calls Chloe L in an attempt to mend their relationship,...

The Only Way is Marbs returned in spectacular fashion last night (June 14), as one couple seemingly split and Bobby Norris debuted his latest piece of modest swimwear.

The spinoff special saw the cast supping Cava and sunning it up in revealing swimming attire in the Spanish city, but before long there were fresh arguments and tears galore among its typically dramatic stars.

Here's seven of the most memorable first episode moments below:

1. Behold the Gold Javelin

Bobby Norris revealed his new swimwear - a skimpy gold thong he spontaneously and oh-so modestly names The Gold Javelin.

Well, at least it boasts more material than the notorious penis sock and the sheer horror of the silver ball bag...

2. James Locke was going to propose?

James Locke revealed to close friend Elliott Wright that he was planning to pop the question and showed him the engagement ring he's been carrying around in his pocket.

There were tears galore in the new series of The Only Way Is Essex as it returned to TV screens on Sunday night (June 14).

And they mostly belonged to Danielle Armstrong, as she appeared to split up with long-term boyfriend James Lock.

The Only Way Is Marbs spin-off special saw the cast sunning it up on their annual jaunt in Marbella, and Bobby Norris displaying his latest excuse for swimwear... the Gold Javelin.

Lockie confided in Elliott Wright that he was planning to propose to Danielle and even revealed the extravagant engagement ring who would pop the question with.

Elliott advised Lockie to try and control his anger and to be more sensitive with the explicit language that he uses during heated arguments with Danielle.

Meanwhile, Danielle was lamenting to Chloe Sims about how her relationship with Lockie has soured, and sobbed: "He's been a nightmare, why do I put up with it?...

James 'Lockie' Lock is ''sad'' Dan Osborne has been axed from 'The Only Way Is Essex'. The 27-year-old star has confessed he's going to miss his close pal - who was sacked after audio recordings of him threatening to stab his ex-girlfriend emerged - being on the ITVBe show with him. Asked how he feels about filming the upcoming Marbella special without him, James told Bang Showbiz at the StandUp Foundation Gala Dinner at London's Hurlingham Club: ''I'm sad. Obviously Dan's one of my best mates.'' James' girlfriend and co-star Dani Armstrong insisted that they are still good friends with Dan and his...

The aftermath of Tommy and Georgia vs Fran and Diags plays out in a preview from tomorrow's episode of The Only Way is Essex (March 22).

Georgia arranges to meet Diags in an attempt to get the truth about what really happened that night. But does Diags give her the answers she needs?

Later that evening, while at dinner with Danielle, Lockie offers Tommy guidance on how to move things forward with Georgia.

Danielle also questions Georgia on whether she truly believes Tommy has cheated and relates the situation to her own experiences last year.

A shocked Lauren walks in on a topless Jake during a shoot he is doing with Vas.

Meanwhile, after over-hearing a conversation between Arg and Jake, Ferne approaches Jake with some home truths about his relationship with Chloe.

In the simmering battle of the Alpha Males, Mario and Jake finally come face to face after trading insults about one another.

Newbie Chloe Lewis is determined to discover whether on/off boyfriend Jake Hall had a secret smooch with Lauren Pope in a sneak preview of tomorrow night's The Only Way is Essex.

Chloe confronts Jake but he continues to deny that anything happened, and Chloe breaks down in tears. She then meets with Lauren for the first time and Lauren sets her straight on the truth.

The girls decide to speak with Jake together with tag-along Ferne McCann, but their discussion soon turns heated as he hurls insults at Ferne, who he accuses of interfering.

Danielle Armstrong and boyfriend James Lock move into their new flat and while Lock makes himself at home, Danielle continues to concern herself with unpleasant rumours she's heard about couple Georgia Koulousou and Tommy Mallett.

When Georgia drops round to see her new gaffe, Danielle drops a bombshell.

Tommy and Diags have an ugly confrontation...

James Lock and Tommy Mallett almost come to blows as both their nightclubs open at the same time, with fellow Towie stars torn over which launch to attend on The Only Way is Essex tonight (March 11).

Lockie and Tommy become embroiled in a war of words, while Lockie's confrontational girlfriend Danielle Armstrong wades in to give Tommy a piece of her mind.

Jake Hall's new arrival has ruffled feathers following his kiss with Lauren Pope, who is uncertain whether to date the eager newbie.

Jake's on/off girlfriend Chloe Lewis continues to turn heads in Brentwood, and she's doing it again when she's introduced to notorious womaniser (but currently off-the-market) Mario Falcone.

Chloe Sims is upset after offering brother Charlie an olive branch with a meal at The Olive Tree - but he failed to show.

She receives a surprise message from ex Elliott Wright and after...

The Only Way Is Essex bosses have suspended Dan Osborne from filming following the release of an abusive recording.

ITV confirmed today that Osborne will not take part in filming until producers have spoken to him about the leaked tape.

The recording - which was published by The Sun over the weekend - allegedly features Osborne threatening to stab his ex-girlfriend Megan Tomlin if she sleeps with another man.

An ITV spokesperson told Digital Spy: "We are speaking to Dan about this incident, and in the meantime he will not be taking part in filming."

The tape was leaked after it emerged that Tomlin has reported Osborne to the police for historic domestic incidents, which they are said to be investigating. The reality star has not been arrested in connection with the claims.

Osborne - who has a son, Teddy, with Tomlin - recently welcomed his baby daughter Ella with EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa.

Lydia Bright seems to be falling out with half of Essex as she clashes with Vas J Morgan over his comments about her behaviour back in Tenerife in a preview from Sunday night's Towie (March 1).

Lydia argued with Danielle Armstrong during Wednesday's episode, and after an ugly confrontation with Vas, she's letting her emotions get the better of her again when she comes face to face with on/off boyfriend James Argent.

Yes, Arg is back! But Lydia doesn't look too happy about it...

Chloe Sims confides in Danielle about the state of her current relationship with brother Charlie, and things soon become awkward when Vas and Lauren Pope turn up. Danielle hospitably invites them to stay but Chloe's quick to reveal why she thinks Lauren has a problem with her.

First elocution lessons, now badminton - Danielle and boyfriend James Lock try their hand at the traditional British sport.

Dan Osborne has returned to filming on Towie after becoming a father for the second time.

The reality TV star's girlfriend, EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa, welcomed their daughter Ella - their first together - last Sunday (February 15).

Osborne - who also works as a professional trainer - was pictured jogging with co-star James Lock and putting him through his paces in Epping Forest. The pair were then joined by fellow Towie stars Georgia Kousoulou and boyfriend Tommy Mallet, who were both donning matching sportswear.

The first episode of the Brentwood-based reality TV show's 14th series will feature the female cast members holidaying in Tenerife, while the male cast remain in Essex.

Towie's Lydia Bright recently described their trip to Tenerife as "explosive", saying: "We actually renamed it 'Tenogrief' because there's never been so many arguments on one holiday! There was commotion, tears and tantrums in the sun I'm afraid.

"It's...

Danielle Armstrong wants to see more boys added to The Only Way Is Essex.

The 26-year-old believes that the show is in need of more men for the growing number of single ladies.

"Jess and Jasmin are both single so it would be good to see someone in for them," she explained.

"I would love to see a very overpowering girl come in - we all think we're Queen Bees and we're all very strong so it would be good to see someone come in and shake that up.

"Or a new Alpha Male to scare the boys. There's too many Alpha Women and the boys might think they're the big Alpha Male - but they're not!"

When asked who her biggest rival is, Armstrong named Gemma Collins, saying: "I'm the only person who seems to stand up to her, but I do also respect her a lot."

Last October,...