How Much Does 'The Only Way is Essex' Cast Get Paid?

The Only Way is Essex has become a big hit for Britain’s ITV over its 25-season run, but its stars’ paychecks haven’t always kept up. According to The Sun, the TOWIE cast made £50 an episode in Season 1, and by 2019, that number had only gone up to £100. As you can imagine, they weren’t happy about it. 

That’s why more than half of the Season 24 cast boycotted ITV’s 2019 summer party, threatening to stop filming altogether, according to the newspaper. ITV was quick to react, raising wages in less than a day. Now the stars are paid on a sliding scale, according to their popularity. Big-shots like Bobby Norris, Chloe Sims, Diags Bennewith, and Georgia Kousoulou rake in a reported £450 an episode, while others get between £90 and £350.

Of course, the Essexers make the bulk of their fortunes outside of the show. Several of the most successful current and former stars are bona fide millionaires, according to The Sun. As of 2018, Amy Childs, who left TOWIE in 2011 and moved on to Celebrity Big Brother and more, is reportedly worth some £5 million, while Joey Essex boasts £6 million. Chloe Sims, Gemma Collins, Mark Wright, and Sam Faiers have likewise made their millions off of TV appearances, promotional deals, clothing and beauty brands, sponsored social media content, and investments. Chloe, for instance, runs a successful beauty salon in Essex, while Sam has authored three books, stars on her own show, and has a clothing line and her own boutique.

The current cast members clearly keep busy even when they’re not filming. All those opportunities to leverage TOWIE celebrity mean that even those £90/episode newcomers are likely to strike it rich sooner or later.