The glamorous world of The Only Way Is Essex has been overshadowed by a series of tragic events involving its former stars. Jake Hall, who joined the show in 2015, was found dead at a holiday villa in Majorca at the age of 35 after reportedly smashing into a glass door. He was discovered in a pool of blood with head wounds from glass shards. The Spanish Civil Guard is investigating the incident, which they believe appears to be an accidental death. An autopsy is scheduled in Palma.
Earlier this year, former TOWIE regular Jordan Wright, 33, was found dead in a drainage canal in Phuket, Thailand. He had moved there for a fresh start. CCTV footage captured his last hours, showing him acting erratically before disappearing. Police believe his body may have been in the canal for up to two days before discovery. Wright was known for his cheeky charm and party-loving lifestyle on the show.
Lauren Goodger, an original cast member, has faced personal tragedies away from the cameras. In July 2022, her newborn daughter Lorena died shortly after birth, despite a textbook pregnancy. Doctors believe the umbilical cord was tied in two knots around the baby's neck, restricting oxygen. Goodger has spoken about the 'indescribable' grief and trauma she continues to experience. Her ex-partner Charles Drury was cleared of assaulting her in February 2024 after she withdrew her support for the prosecution.
James 'Arg' Argent, another original cast member, battled drug addiction during his time on the show. In October 2019, ambulances were called to his home amid fears of an overdose, leading him to seek treatment in a Thai rehab facility. More recently, he received a suspended sentence for a gender violence offence against his then-partner Nicoline Artursson, after admitting to pushing her down the stairs during a holiday in Spain. The court ordered him to attend a gender violence re-education programme.
