Josh Francis has confirmed he has been rested from the next series of The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE). The 25-year-old bricklayer joined the cast of the ITV2 reality show earlier this year for season 37, alongside TikTok stars and twin brothers Jonnie and Joe Gurie.
Surprise at being rested
Francis, along with the Gurie twins, went on to appear in series 38, but it has now been confirmed that he will not be returning for the next series. Speaking to the Mail, Francis said: "It's all ended amicably but I'm getting rested for the next series and it's come as a surprise. There were no major storylines, so of course, I understand that so all I could really do was build good friendships with everyone already on the show, which I've done."
He added: "It's ended on good terms, like the door's always open but from my point of view, it was a bit frustrating because I've had other things in the pipeline that I had was interested in." ITV has been contacted for a comment.
Cast friendships and drama
Francis built friendships with cast members such as Saffron Lempriere, surprising her on her birthday by turning up as a butler in the buff. Meanwhile, twins Joe and Jonnie have been more involved in the drama, with Jonnie sparking a romance with Dani Imbet after sharing a kiss during the cast trip to Vietnam.
However, Dani officially ended things after discovering messages Jonnie sent to other women shortly after arguments. In scenes aired in August, the two sat down to talk things out, with Dani stating she no longer has feelings for him, that trust and respect are gone, and Jonnie disputing her claims about how much effort he put in. They shared a final hug to clear the air and attempt to be civil around the rest of the cast, leaving things officially off. Dani also clashed with Jonnie's twin Joe in explosive scenes as he became fed up of listening to their relationship drama.
Courtney Green also taking a break
Francis is not the only cast member who won't be returning for series 39, with Courtney Green also reportedly taking a step back from filming after 10 years on the show. A source told The Sun newspaper: "Courtney has decided to take a break from TOWIE ahead of a busy time for her family and across her business ventures."
The source added: "After the last series she just decided that a break and a reset would be beneficial for her in all sorts of ways but she'll be back, this isn’t goodbye – she’s just opting for some time out." TOWIE is available to watch on ITVX.
