ITV 'AXES' TRADITIONAL TOWIE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

The Only Way Is Essexmas will not be hitting out screens this year, it is reported.

With the exception of one year (2018), ITVBe (and formerly ITV2) have aired Christmas specials of the hit reality series for the past twelve years. However, it's reported by The Sun that ITV have no plans for a special this year.

A source told The Sun: "The cast were floored by the news as Towie's Christmas specials are something of a tradition, so none of them were expecting to not be filming this time around...

"They were all told that the scheduling didn't work out and the budget is being spent on other things, but it's left them all feeling really nervous about the future for the show. It's not a good sign for the series in general if bosses have decided it doesn't make financial sense to film the celebratory one-off...

"Many of them rely on the Christmas special for additional work, and also because it helps maintain their profile as the regular show doesn't air as frequently throughout the year anymore."

The Only Way Is Essex is available on ITV Hub.