The TOWIE cast then vs now: From weight loss, addictions to lip filler and boob jobs, and leaving the reality TV world behind – we take a look at the transformations of the original cast

The 34th series of TOWIE drew to a close with a 90 minute Christmas Special during the festive period. 

And 2024 has been packed with scandalous feuds, love triangles, new romances and plenty of drama for the Essex stars, but what are the original cast up to? 

From fronting their own TV shows to going to take part in other reality TV opportunities, fans are still invested as ever in the cast and their ever changing looks. 

Last year Lauren Goodger returned to the show for the first time since 2016, and the mother looked rather different to her debut back in 2010. 

Yet  Lauren is by no means the only TOWIE star partial to a dramatic cosmetic tweakment or plastic surgery procedure. 

And as fans await series 35, MailOnline takes a look at the TOWIE’s best transformations, as we explore their evolving looks, weightloss and obsessions with injectables.

James Argent 

James Argent starred on the hit ITV reality show from 2010 until 2018 and made a surprise return to sing at the Christmas party during the recent festive special. 

The star, 37, reached 27 stone during lockdown, before losing nearly 14 stone when he overhauled his lifestyle and underwent a sleeve gastrectomy procedure.

However, after debuting his weight loss, Arg he revealed last year he was working on gaining weight, which was then at 13.5 stone.

Speaking to the Mail’s comedy podcast, Straight To The Comments! he admitted: ‘At my biggest I was 27 stone. I took the p***. Now I’m about 13.5 stone.

‘I think I was just acting out on feelings and emotions, eating and eating and then lockdown, Covid, that didn’t help.’

He confessed that his doctor told him he was ‘on death row’ when he was at his heaviest, during which time he ‘couldn’t tie my own shoelaces’ and was ‘finding it hard to breathe.’

Argent, known as ‘Arg’, said that he wasn’t even able to see his own penis, joking: ‘I can just about see it now.’

Lauren Goodger

Lauren Goodger rejoined the TOWIE cast last year, after finding fame on the show as one of the original cast members part of the 2010 line up. 

Over the years the star, 38, has been in and out of the series after she left the show in 2012 following her break up from long-term partner Mark Wright, who is now married and expecting his first child with Michelle Keegan. 

Lauren returned for a brief appearance in 2016, however last year it was reported that she would be rejoining the show after deciding it was the right time for her to return to the spotlight.  

The original cast member has always been candid about the many enhancements she has undergone, after previously admitting to a rhinoplasty in 2011 to fix her broken nose following an accident. 

She also underwent a breast augmentation surgery, transforming her 34D chest size to 34E in 2013. 

In 2023, Lauren also admitted she had had a Brazilian bum lift back in 2017, but wanted to get rid of it. 

The TV personality explained how she jetted off to Turkey for a BBL and described it as ‘the worst experience’ of her life.

Lauren said she was desperate to have a ‘natural bum’ again but isn’t sure how to go about getting it as ‘there isn’t a procedure that can reverse the BBL’.

She added: ‘I’m not sure how I’m going to do that yet. I’m not sure if there is a procedure that can reverse the BBL. I’m looking into potentially getting the fat sucked out, but I don’t know if that’s an option. I’m going to speak to lots of different surgeons and figure out my options.’

Meanwhile the star is also no stranger to lip filler. In February 2023 she underwent the same ‘butterfly effect’ filler technique as Katie Price as she showed off her new pout. 

She explained at the time: ‘I’ve just had the butterfly effect lip fillers by Lift Aesthetics, I’ve got the tape on at the minute so I’m talking really weird.

‘I’m very swollen but literally a new technique, it’s so amazing and I can’t wait to see the results.’

Last year she also revealed she is finally planning her breast reduction after previously being too scared and anxious go ahead with the surgery.

Looking sensational in a plunging ivy green and white cross body swimsuit she confided in her followers on Instagram, confessing her anxiety has prevented her from undergoing surgeries and minor treatments. 

She wrote: ‘I have suffered tremendous anxiety due to things I’ve been through which led me to being caffeine and alcohol free but also stopped me being able go abroad on holiday or have surgery or so minor treatments I’ve been so bad with anxiety…

‘But today I’ve spoke to the amazing @simonsmithsurgeon as I want to take the step to get my implants removed in my boobs… 

‘I do not want them I just need to get this done and I’m terrified but I know it’s also much healthier for me and I don’t need them anymore. I can’t wait for my natural boobs back xxxx’. 

Lucy Mecklenburgh 

Lucy was first introduced to the show as Mark Wright’s new love interest but also as a fashion buyer. 

Her love life was extremely well-publicised when she burst onto TV screens in 2010 which saw her lock horns with his long-time love Lauren over the Lothario’s affections.

However Lucy has found her happily ever after since leaving TOWIE after meeting Corrie star Ryan Thomas on Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls in 2017.

Following a well-publicised romance, with split rumours included, Ryan popped the question to Lucy in June 2019 during an idyllic trip to the Amalfi Coast.

The pair share son Roman who was born in March 2020. 

Despite her transformation, Lucy insisted in 2019 that she has never altered her natural features with plastic surgery, despite being offered thousands of pounds for free surgery. 

She went on to admit that she once went for a consultation with a surgeon on Harley Street to have a procedure done on her face to make it thinner during a ‘numb and very unhappy’ period in her life.

She explained to her Instagram followers: ‘A few years ago I went to Harley at and asked a surgeon to make my face thinner as I wanted more prominent cheek bones.

‘I showed him a photo of my face when I lost a lot of weight through stress & anxiety and said “can you make my face look like this again please?”

‘He said “yes I could, but I’m not going to as you will look 10 years older and I don’t think you need anything done to your face. You were very slim before and your face is slightly fuller now, more healthy & youthful”.’

Sharing her relief over failing to undergo the procedure, Lucy elaborated: ‘I’m soooo thankful for this surgeon. I didn’t realise at the time but looking back I was very unhappy, had low self confidence and felt numb most of the time & would even say depressed. [sic]

‘Definitely not in the right frame of mind to make such a huge, permanent decision that would change my appearance.’

Sam and Billie Faiers 

The Faiers sisters have always been defiant about their changing looks despite their incredible transformations from their TOWIE days. 

Speaking candidly on The Mummy Diaries in 2019 they both insisted that they have never had Botox despite their ‘faces changing’ since starring on the show.

When discussing Botox, Billie revealed that her make-up artist had claimed some models have the treatment to lift their eyebrows.

She insisted however that she didn’t want it done, instead choosing facials, with Sam adding: ‘We’ve never had Botox, we’ve always looked after our skin.’ 

While later on, she continued: ‘I feel like when you’re a celebrity, people assume you have work done.’

Sam went on to reveal that people speculate she’s had her ‘eyes done’ and ‘filler’, but she insisted: ‘I honestly have never ever had Botox.’

Referencing her TOWIE days, she added: ‘I first went on TV ten years ago… your face changes from being 18 to 28. No one looks the same!’

After leaving TOWIE in 2014, the pair went on to star in their own reality TV show The Mummy Diaries which followed the pair through their respective marriages and motherhood. 

Sam left the show in 2021 after she explained she always intended to leave the show when her children started school. 

Continuing to film Billie and Greg: The Family Diaries, the star decided in November that it was time for the show to come to an end after a decade on the screens. 

Billie wrote: “After almost 10 years of filming for The Mummy Diaries and @familydiariesofficial, we can officially announce our journey has come to an end.

“And what a journey it has been!! From giving birth, raising our children, the highs and lows of parenthood, tears and tantrums, celebrations, fun times, tough times, hen and stags dos, a house build and of course getting married.

“We are so grateful to have been able to capture all of these memories and share them with you all!’

Mark Wright

When Mark made his way on to screens, he was a club promoter and semi-professional footballer. 

The reality star’s womanising played out in TOWIE’s early series, as he was seen to split his time between his long-term girlfriend Lauren Goodger, Sam Faiers and Lucy Mecklenburgh.  

In an explosive twist, Mark popped the question to Lauren in a pub car park – prompting the iconic reaction from Lauren’s sister Nicola: ‘Are you having a f**king laugh?’ 

After proposing to Lauren, the relationship came to a heartbreaking close when he cheated on her with Lucy shortly before leaving the show for good. 

However Mark found love after leaving the show after her married Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan in an idyllic ceremony at St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmonds in 2015. 

He has previously gushed to Michelle: ‘You make me so happy and I’m so proud of you. You complete me.’ 

The couple announced they are expecting their first child together this year as they took to Instagram with an adorable announcement post on Sunday.

Stood on a beach together, the actress held her bump as she penned: ‘2025 is going to be a special one for us…’

Amy Childs 

Amy Childs proudly boasted of her enhanced cleavage when she entered the show after undergoing plastic surgery at the tender age of 18. 

The reality star, 33, has had two boob jobs, botox, lip fillers, liposuction and veneers, completely transforming her look over the years. 

However, Amy, who now has four children Polly, five, Ritchie, four, and twins Billy and Amelia, 12 months, has now ditched cosmetic surgery after admitting she looked ‘like a freak’.

She told The Sun in 2022: ‘I have not had cosmetic surgery for a long time now, and, for me, being a mum you totally change the way you look at things. 

‘Back in the day on TOWIE you ended up getting obsessed with your looks, but now I am 32 this year and in a completely different mindset.

‘I am really happy in me now. I haven’t got the size 8 body that I used to have, however, I have two lovely children, and that’s all I care about, so I am very happy in myself.’

In her teens, Amy boosted her bust by three sizes, going from an A-cup to a D-cup, before jumping to a 30EE for a second boob job at the age of 23.

In May 2019, the mother-of-two underwent an eight-hour operation after experiencing pain in her chest following a rupture in her left implant, and a month later, doctors discovered a lump had formed in her breast tissue from leakage.

The star – who spent a week in hospital during the ordeal – has since downsized her breast implants from an EE cup to a C cup.

Ferne McCann 

Ferne became a regular on TOWIE in 2013 before quitting three years later and the reality star has been very open about her surgeries since leaving the show. 

In 2016, Ferne revealed she had a nose job, which she unveiled the results of during an appearance on This Morning after the operation. 

She broke down as she told hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford about the journey she has been on throughout her life, and why she decided to make the change.

In a very open and honest account, Ferne revealed how a lifelong insecurity and bouts of online trolling lead to her final decision. She said: ‘I just wanted something subtle. I didn’t want a big change. I was teased in school about my nose and I thought it was taking over my face.

‘From the front, it looks similar to how it did before so there hasn’t been much to get used to, but it is different from the side profile.’ 

Beginning to get emotional Ferne admitted: ‘I seem so confident and loud, well I am loud, but on the inside, it really fazed me.’ 

The reality star also revealed she has felt insecure since the age of 12, way before she stepped into the spotlight. 

‘The names started when I went to secondary school,’ she said. Boys started calling me goose and it planted a seed. Later, Twitter trolls rubbed salt in the wound.’

However Ferne took a 360 on her lip filler last year after she had her injectables dissolved and expressed her regrets over the cosmetic procedure.

Sharing a video showcasing the finished results after having them dissolved she began: ‘Ok guys, now this is a big moment for me because I want to be open and honest with you and share a little about my lip transformation.

‘I made that mistake where years ago I just wanted the big voluptuous lips but I just went to the wrong people I didn’t do my research and I used to get so trolled about my lips.’

She continued: ‘And even though I have thick skin, being in the public eye for however long, it did get me down and I looked at them with different eyes.

‘Especially having daughters, and wanting to be a role model for them and how I would feel if the had lips like that, I just had a whole different perspective.’

She added: ‘I knew deep down they looked ridiculous. I had little lumps where the filler had migrated and the shape was all wrong!’

Harry Derbridge

Harry, 30, was first introduced to the series via his cousin Amy Childs, becoming TOWIE’s first openly gay cast member. 

And while the reality star has faced accusation of cosmetic procedures, in 2020 Harry hit back at trolls commenting on his weight gain as he explained he had overcome a ‘terrible eating disorder’. 

Harry returned to TOWIE for the 10th anniversary celebrations in 2020, and the star was forced to take to Twitter as he confirmed he had not undergone Botox, only some lip filler. 

He penned: ‘Honestly… I won’t say this again, I haven’t had any filler or Botox in my face, the only thing I have had done is a tiny bit of lip filler… so can we all stop comparing 16 year old harry to 26 year old harry. It actually makes me laugh…

‘And to the saying ‘I’ve piled on the pounds’ the answer is… yes I have, I went through a terrible eating disorder and I have worked so hard on myself to over come it over the years, and honestly… I think I look better then ever’.

In 2017, Harry shared an emotional post about the transformation his body has gone through, revealing he weighed just seven stone at one point. 

In a lengthy message, Harry explained: ‘My journey with an eating disorder was a struggle and I know I’m not a muscle pump up pete now but where I am right now I have never felt and looked better in myself.

‘The image on the left aged 16 I was 7 stone and very unhealthy and could go a day without eating, I also had a fear of food which can be diagnosed as a ‘food phobia’.