Lauren Goodger says she was ‘set up’ by TOWIE to make good TV

Lauren Goodger says she was ‘set up’ by TOWIE to make good TV

Celebs

Lauren Goodger says she was ‘set up’ by TOWIE to make good TV but is thankful for show

The Only Way Is Essex original cast member Lauren Goodger has opened up on her time on the show and has told that her experience on reality TV had a “dark side”

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Lauren Goodger’s on and off romance with ex Mark Wright kept viewers hooked when The Only Way Is Essex first exploded onto TV in 2010.

But the former reality personality, 34, who left the ITV series in 2012, has now said that she felt “set up” by TOWIE bosses when she was on the show and claims that she had “no control over it.”

The curvy star shared that her experience on TV had a “dark side” but added that she is grateful for the opportunities that the limelight has given her.

Speaking on fellow reality favourite Marnie Simpson’s podcast, Marnie’s Home Truths, Lauren said: “There’s a very dark side with it, you have no control over it.

“Reality TV has it hard because you are who you are in real life and when you’re on a TV show even though it’s real it’s still casted, you’re still a character and you’re still briefed and there’s still things you kind of have to say to camera.

“I felt like I was set up quite a lot of times but it did make good TV. I don’t want to slag it off because that is where I came from and it has given me good opportunities as well, but I just think as time went on there were just so many bits I found difficult that I had to ignore.”

Lauren – whose reality TV CV boasts stints on Celebs Go Dating and Celebrity Big Brother since leaving TOWIE – also revealed to Geordie Shore’s Marnie that she is still keen to be on the telly but that she would want to be selective.

The beautician said: “If it was something fun like dancing on ice type of thing but I feel like now I’m different things would be different and I’d do it different.

“They have so much control over who they want you to be regardless of what show it is but I feel like something like TOWIE, I don’t know.”

Lauren and Mark’s fiery love story began when they were just 15-years-old and they became engaged in the first series of TOWIE.

But their rocky romanced came to an end just months later.

In 2015 Mark married Michelle Keegan and has in the past asked Lauren – who is now dating Katie Price’s ex Charles Drury – to stop talking about their relationship.