The Only Way Is Essex series 3
| The Only Way Is Essex | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
| No. of episodes | 14 + Christmas Special |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV2 |
| Original release | 25 September – 9 November 2011 Christmas Special: 20 December 2011 |
| Series chronology | |
The third series of The Only Way Is Essex, a British semi-reality television programme, began airing on 25 September 2011 on ITV2. The series concluded on 9 November 2011 after 14 episodes. A Christmas Special aired on 20 December 2011 and is included on the Series 3 DVD.
This series marked the departures original cast members Kirk Norcross, Mark Wright, Harry Derbridge and Maria Fowler.[2][3][4] As of 2014, this series still has the highest amount of views collectively of entire programme's lifespan.
Storylines
Series 3 kicks off with the revelations that both Mark and Lauren and Kirk and Lauren Pope have split up with both Laurens now living together. Mark vows to a life of celibacy but soon finds himself tempted when he finds Lucy in her underwear in Jessica's flat. Meanwhile, Lucy is now seeing Mario who tells her not to see Mark but after Mark finds out Mario has been badmouthing him, he tells him that he can get Lucy any time he wants. Arg and Lydia are back together but Lydia's fractured relationship with his best friend Mark is still causing problems for Arg especially when he is forced to spend time with Lucy and Mario. When Mark reveals that he spent the night with Lucy while Mario was away, Lydia and Arg side with their two friends and when Lydia confronts Mark, Arg accuses her of being a bully. Eventually Mark and Lydia make up but Arg still feels self-conscious about his weight and also decides to take a new job as a hospital radio DJ as Lydia opens a new vintage store he feels that he is not good enough for her. While trying to lose weight together at Boot Camp Gemma confesses to Arg that if he and Lydia weren't together she may consider seeing him but she tells Lydia not to worry about anything.
During Karaoke Night at the Sugar Hut, Mark is seen texting someone with various characters checking their phones it eventually turns out to be Sam. Sam and Mark then embark on a casual relationship which includes dates to a cooking lesson and skiing. After Sam and sister Billie are attacked, her and Mark begin dating properly and Mark's family invite Sam round to eat with them. This annoys Lauren as she feels Mark's family never accepted her and that Sam has betrayed her. During Chloe's birthday party Mark tries to settle things with Lauren but she angers Sam so much the two get into a fight.
The newly single Kirk and Joey begin a bromance calling themselves Team Jerk? Kirk teaches Joey how to be more domestic after he moves into a new flat and soon the two meet two girls named Cara and Billi. While Joey seems quite taken by Cara, Kirk struggles to get on with Billi and launches into a tirade at both of them when they come to his house to confront them. When Sam is attacked Joey goes to visit her and confesses that he still loves her but she is by this point back with Mark. Kirk also encounters problems at home after his dad Mick starts dating Maria as he never got on with her and he feels that Maria is after his dad's money. After a couple of dates it is revealed that Maria previously worked as an escort and when Mick sees her coming out of a club with another man he ends the relationship and she leaves to go back home to Derby for a while.
With Chloe approaching 30 she feels inadequate that she is without a man and wants to better her body by getting bum implants but decides against it and for her birthday she has her own wedding where her cousin Joey becomes Prince Charming. Gemma decides to teach Harry to drive and also learns that he has started dating the half-German Kurt, Gemma is also pursued this series by Greek twins Georgio and Dino who she adores but who are far too small for her.
With Debbie and Lydia warming to Mario it seems that he can't put a foot wrong but then it is revealed that his former girlfriend, card-shop owner Perri, was told by him that he never fancied Lucy and is just dating her for a more prominent role on the show. Lucy gets increasingly paranoid about Mario's activities and tells him that he can have a night off from their relationship, he then goes off to a club where he gets very pally with the two Laurens. Mario eventually sees the text that Lucy sent to Jessica proving that something happened between her and Mark when Lucy tells Mario she can't remember what happened he leaves her and they break up.
After the fight between Lauren and Sam, Mark decides it's not fair to the women in his life that he stays around Essex and tells his parents that he is going to move on. In an emotional scene with Arg, Mark says he will miss his best friend but it seems that Arg and Lydia are back on track claiming they will never break-up. Mark makes his final Essex appearance at a Fireworks Night Party in which he tells Lauren that he will always love her but he's not in love with her any more. At the same party Joey and Jessica surprise everyone by kissing on the dancefloor. Lucy gets up to speak in front of everyone and addresses Mario telling him she knows she did wrong but she wants a second chance, he tells her that he still loves her and they can work through things. Mark asks Sam if they can have a proper relationship if she leaves with him but she can't see them being anything more than close friends and tells him she doesn't want any more. The series ends with Mark looking around the club at all his friends, foes and family before giving Arg a hug and walking off into the night.
The Only Way Is Essex returned for a Christmas Special on 20 December 2011.[5]
Cast
Cast departures
Kirk Norcross
Kirk Norcross reportedly quit the series in 2011 and the thirteenth episode of this series was his last appearance.[2]
Mark Wright
Original cast member, Mark Wright, departed the series in the third series finale. After a fight between Lauren and Sam, Mark decides it's not fair that he stays around Essex and tells his parents that he is going to get away for a while. Mark makes his final appearance at the Fireworks party in which he tells Lauren that he will always love her but he's not in love with her anymore. Mark asks Sam if they can have a proper relationship if she leaves with him, but she can't see them being anything more than close friends and tells him she doesn't want to be with him any more. The episode ends with Mark looking around the club at all his friends and family before giving Arg a hug and walking off into the night.[3] Wright however made a cameo appearance in the shows sixth series, but did not have a speaking part.[6]
Harry Derbridge
Harry Derbridge quit the series in 2011 and stated he was moving onto different projects. The 2011 Christmas special is Derbridge's last appearance in the series.[4]
Maria Fowler
Maria Fowler announced she had quit the series in 2011. Fowler met with producers and both decided that her time on the series had come to an end. The 2011 Christmas special is Fowler's last appearance in the series.[4]
Episodes
| Series no. |
Season no. |
Title | Original airdate | Duration | UK viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 1 | "Episode 1" | 25 September 2011 | 45 minutes | 2.102[7] |
| 27 | 2 | "Episode 2" | 28 September 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.474[8] |
| 28 | 3 | "Episode 3" | 2 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.631[8] |
| 29 | 4 | "Episode 4" | 5 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.646[9] |
| 30 | 5 | "Episode 5" | 9 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.869[9] |
| 31 | 6 | "Episode 6" | 12 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.576[10] |
| 32 | 7 | "Episode 7" | 16 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.686[10] |
| 33 | 8 | "Episode 8" | 19 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.676[11] |
| 34 | 9 | "Episode 9" | 23 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.749[11] |
| 35 | 10 | "Episode 10" | 26 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.680[12] |
| 36 | 11 | "Episode 11" | 30 October 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.739[12] |
| 37 | 12 | "Episode 12" | 2 November 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.910[13] |
| 38 | 13 | "Episode 13" | 6 November 2011 | 45 minutes | 1.853[13] |
| 39 | 14 | "Episode 14" | 9 November 2011 | 60 minutes | 2.225[14] |
Christmas Special (2011)
| Series no. |
Season no. |
Title | Original airdate | Duration | UK viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 2 | "The Only Way Is EsseXmas 2011" | 20 December 2011 | 60 minutes | 1.615 |
|
Jess and Joey are still reeling from the kiss and decide to go on a date and pursue a relationship much to Sam's disappointment. Arg throws a regal birthday party and asks Lydia to start looking for a place for them to move in. Mario, Joey, Chloe and the two Laurens take a trip to Santa's homeland, Lapland. This was the last episode to feature Harry Derbridge and Maria Fowler. | |||||
Ratings
| Episode | Date | ITV2 viewers (millions) |
ITV2+1 viewers (millions) |
Total viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 September | 1.885[15] | 0.217 | 2.102 |
| 2 | 28 September | 1.309[15] | 0.165 | 1.474 |
| 3 | 2 October | 1.468[15] | 0.163 | 1.631 |
| 4 | 5 October | 1.437[15] | 0.209 | 1.646 |
| 5 | 9 October | 1.685[15] | 0.184 | 1.869 |
| 6 | 12 October | 1.369[15] | 0.207 | 1.576 |
| 7 | 16 October | 1.566[15] | 0.120 | 1.686 |
| 8 | 19 October | 1.453[15] | 0.223 | 1.676 |
| 9 | 23 October | 1.554[15] | 0.195 | 1.749 |
| 10 | 26 October | 1.533[15] | 0.147 | 1.680 |
| 11 | 30 October | 1.577[15] | 0.162 | 1.739 |
| 12 | 2 November | 1.706[15] | 0.194 | 1.910 |
| 13 | 6 November | 1.572[15] | 0.276 | 1.853 |
| 14 | 9 November | 1.926[15] | 0.284 | 2.210 |
| Average viewers | 1.720 |
References
- ^ "The Only Way is Essex - Series 3 [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Mark Wright: Film & TV". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ^ a b "Another TOWIE star jumps ship... Kirk Norcross is the latest cast member to quit the show". Daily Mail. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
- ^ a b Magrath, Andrea (10 November 2011). "TOWIE: James 'Arg' Argent breaks down as Mark Wright leaves Essex behind". Daily Mail. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
- ^ a b c "TOWIE: Maria Fowler and Harry Derbidge become the latest stars to quit the show". Daily Mail. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
- ^ Magrath, Andrea (10 November 2011). "'But where does this leave us?' Arg breaks down as BFF Mark Wright leaves Essex behind in tearful TOWIE finale". Daily Mail. London.
- ^ Llewellyn, Angharad (13 August 2012). "Mark is Wright at home on set of The Only Way Is Essex". The Sun. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- ^ "ITV2 w/e 25 September 2011". BARB. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ a b "ITV2 w/e 2 October 2011". BARB. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ a b "ITV2 w/e 9 October 2011". BARB. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ a b "ITV2 w/e 16 October 2011". BARB. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ a b "ITV2 w/e 23 October 2011". BARB. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
- ^ a b "ITV2 w/e 30 October 2011". BARB. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ a b "ITV2 w/e 6 November 2011". BARB. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ^ "ITV2 w/e 13 November 2011". BARB. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Barb Broadcasters Audience Research Board". BARB. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.