Mark Wright: Why TOWIE drove me to tears

Mark said the hype surrounding his womanising image got so bad that he begged producers to tone it down.

He continued: "I am so grateful to TOWIE for putting me where I am today, but I did get upset a lot over the way I was portrayed.

"My family and friends, and my sister Jessica, would get upset too.

"I had several discussions with producers about it."

In The Sun's exclusive interview, Mark, 24, also revealed he now can't wait to capitalise on his I'm A Celebrity success.

He said: "I want to act and present. I went to the Sylvia Young acting school for ten years. Acting is the path I want to go down.

"I have a motto, 'Reach for the stars,' so I'll say it. Laugh all you want, but I want to be the next James Bond."

Mark's manager Jonathan Shalit ? who propelled Myleene Klass to stardom after her jungle stint in 2006 ? has been inundated with offers for his client, including fronting an ITV2 spin-off of dating show Take Me Out.

Mark said he'd be up for it, adding: "It sounds like a good show."

Mark found fame on "scripted reality show" TOWIE, which first hit TV screens in October last year.

It follows a group of pals in Essex. Even though it is based on real life, scenes are set up by producers and drama whipped up.

But Mark ? who quit TOWIE just before heading into the jungle ? said it had got too much for him.

"I was on a TV show where they exaggerated people's personalities and choose one side of you that they want you to be," he said.

"My storyline was to be a bit of a ladies' man. But that is just one side of me, an exaggerated version of me.

"That is one reason why I am glad to leave TOWIE as I don't have to be that person I don't like being any more."

Over Mark's three series on the cult ITV2 show, he was seen splitting up with long-term love Lauren Goodger, getting back with her then getting engaged ? before breaking up again.

He also had flings with Lucy Mecklenburgh and Sam Faiers.

After revealing yesterday in The Sun that he was over Lauren, Mark said there was no going back to Sam, who had dumped him in the final TOWIE episode.

He said: "Sam is in the past now. She is a lovely girl but I am looking forward to the future and being single now and trying to crack my career."

He also hit out at former flame Lucy, after she said she didn't want him to become King Of The Jungle. Shaking his head, he said: "Lucy makes mistakes and tries to blame other people."

Mark admitted that playing out his relationships in front of the cameras became too overbearing.

He said: "There is a point in your life when you are filming a show like that where you think enough is enough.

"I have played out my life and my relationships on camera enough now. It is about time for me to go home from work and forget about what has just happened.

"It was hard playing out my life in the public eye for a year and that's why I want to move on from that now."

Mark said he was ecstatic I'm A Celeb had finally let viewers see his proper character.

He added: "I wanted to show people the real me. The real me is what I showed in the jungle.

"My family and friends were relieved because when they see TOWIE they know that is not me. I will never forget TOWIE and the people who gave me the opportunity. It will be in my heart for ever.

"But I just wanted to be real, and however far TOWIE took me, I couldn't do that any more."

Despite reports he is considering one last appearance in the TOWIE Christmas special, Mark said the show is well and truly behind him.

He said: "I won't be in the TOWIE Christmas show. I have moved on.

"Once I have moved on I like to go onwards and upwards.

"I am an ambitious young man, sometimes a bit too driven. But I am also a real family boy.

"I can be a cheeky chap at times but a harmless cheeky chap."

KIRK Norcross to leave TOWIE?

The millionaire playboy is wav- ing goodbye to his Essex pals so he can date a host of fit girls and potentially find a wife. Kirk, 23, left, has spoken many times about wanting to settle down with “the one”.

And following in the footsteps of rugby hunk Gavin Henson, 29 – who finally chose Carianne Barrow, 24 as his girlfriend – is Kirk’s golden opportunity.

Our TV source revealed: “Kirk has been approached to join The Bachelor on Channel 5. He’s jumping at the chance to leave TOWIE and do something more dynamic.

“He has an eye for the ladies and has been saying for a while it’s time to find a nice girl and settle down.

“Kirk’s been really successful with regard to money and business ventures, but has yet to find the perfect lady.

“After seeing how much fun Gavin had on the last series of The Bachelor, Kirk’s well up for it.”

We bet he is. Gav, right, was filmed snogging girls all over the shop and having late night skinny- dipping dates.

Kirk is famous for owning notorious Essex night club Sugar Hut and dat-ing co-stars Lauren Pope, 28, and Amy Childs, 21, on the ITV2 show. Kirk, talking about his ex Amy, recently admitted: “I fancy her loads.

“I’d get back together as quick as that, if I could. I’d settle down with Amy no problem. Kids, marriage the lot. I’d be the happiest person ever.”

We’re not sure Amy feels the same though as she told us: “He’s lovely and we are good friends. We’ve got chemistry, but we argue a lot when we’re together. We’re better as friends.”

However, she thinks he’d be great as The Bachelor saying: “I think Kirk would be the perfect person to do it. Definitely.”

Could he also be set for 'Celebrity Big Brother'? “Lauren Goodger and Sam Faiers are both being offered big sums to appear in Celebrity Big Brother. Kirk’s the only one to make a decision.”

The TOWIE star, 23, announced he had quit once before.

Let’s hope this time he means it.

Arg breaks down as BFF Mark Wright leaves Essex behind in tearful TOWIE finale

The Only Way is Essex took Bromance to the next level on last night's season finale.

Mark Wright and best friend James 'Arg' Argent both broke down in tears as Mark announced he is leaving Essex behind after his ongoing love life entanglements became too much.

With tears streaming down his face, Arg weeps, 'But where does this leave us?' after Mark announces that he needs to get away to 'clear his head'.

'Essex is the wrong place for me right now,' Mark, 24, explains during their tearful conversation.

'The way my love life has been in the last 18 months is ridiculous. Lauren is upset, Lauren and Sam are arguing, it's getting too much.

'I need to get out and clear my head.'

'I can't imagine doing anything without you,' Arg cries.

The boys embrace, with Mark reassuring his sidekick: 'You're my best friend in the whole world. You're in my heart forever. I'll never leave you.'

Earlier Mark had discussed leaving town with his mother Carol and father, Mark Senior, who made his debut on the show.

'I'm debating going away for a bit,' Mark informs his parents. 'Just get out of the circle for a bit. I don't know how long for. To be fair to Lauren, to be honest.'

'I'll probably carry on seeing Sam, but not at these parties in front of Lauren. I'll do it on my own time.'

'If you're in the same place at the same time she's never going to move on,' Mark Snr says.

'Give it a week and we'll have the same situation,' Mark Snr says after his son leaves.

'I think it's different this time,' says Carol.

'If I had a pound for every time he said that,' Mark Snr replies.

Show producers ensured they went out with a bang in the season finale - from Mark and Arg using sun beds in their briefs to the girls practising their yoga moves in the hot tub, there was plenty of flesh on show.

The whole cast attend a fireworks night party, and as they prepare Joey Essex and his sister discuss the origins of the holiday.

Bizarrely, its an almost identical scene to one in season one in which former star Amy Childs discusses why we celebrate Guy Fawkes night with Harry Derbidge.

'He died on a cross in a bonfire, right?' Joey muses.

At the party Mario Falcone discusses his recent break-up with girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh after she admitted to cheating on him.

'I know it feels like the end of the world,' Lydia's mother Debbie advises him.' Nothing is forever. If you don't have the lows like right now, you wouldn't know when you're happy.'

Mario admits: 'I miss her. I miss her pushing me out of my single bed and snoring. I'm proper cut up.'

Lucy's good friend Lydia tells him: 'I know how cut up she is, I've had her crying down the phone to me.'

Mario also chats to Lauren Goodger about the situation.

'What hurts the most is that everyone said to me "Mario, wake up," but I believed her because of love,' he tells Lauren, who had earlier discussed how good looking Mario is with roommate Lauren Pope.

'We all think you're lovely,' Lauren tells him. 'There's not many guys like you around. You're going to have loads of girls after you.'

But any possible flirtation between the pair is halted when Lucy switches off the music to make an announcement.

'As everyone has taken such an interest in my personal life lately, I thought I'd get up here and put you all straight,' she says to the party.

Lucy begs Mario for forgiveness, admitting she was selfish and stupid and says she wants to work on getting back together.

'I don't know if you can ever find it in your heart to forgive me but I still love you,' she says.

The couple embrace afterwards but Mario tells Lucy it will take a lot for him to trust her again.

Meanwhile the cause of all their troubles, Mark, meets with Lauren to make amends after their furious row the week before.

'Every time we argue it gets me down and I can't see you hurt anymore,' he tells her.

'I don't know how you'll take this but I'm telling you this for the future, I love you - but I don't love you like that anymore.'

'It breaks my heart to see you with a girl,' Lauren confesses, 'but I'll never go back with you ever again.

'I love you but I don't like you,' she adds.

'We both know now it's over... You mean the world to me and I hope in the future we will see each other and be friends.'

They hug as they say goodbye and tell each other 'I love you,' before Mark goes to find his current squeeze Sam.

'I've been giving a lot of thought to what I want in life and I feel like I've been going round in circles,' Mark tells Sam.

'You're the person I want to be with and I want to spend Christmas with you and hopefully we'll be a proper couple.'

But Mark doesn't get quite the reception he was hoping for from Sam.

After her older sister Billie advised her earlier to not put herself through the pain of Mark making a fool of her, Sam tells him: 'I just think you've got too much going on in your life. I can't have someone like Lauren haunting me.

'If I told you I wanted to settle down I think it would last two minutes. I cannot trust you.'

'I need you to tell me right now if you don't want it because it sounds like you don't,' Mark says.

'I don't want it,' Sam replies coolly, walking off and leaving him behind.

Arg and Lydia find a quiet corner where Lydia reassures her longtime love that she loves him just the way he is.

Arg was seen asking Joey Essex for style advice earlier in the episode and using the sun bed because 'a tan is slimming'.

But Lydia insists: 'The reason I love you is you're just dopey old Arg, you eat loads and you fart loads and you look like you dressed in the dark.'

She adds: 'Don't change, don't think you have to change yourself for me.'

Meanwhile, Jess Wright and Joey have onlookers at the party gasping with an unexpected dance floor kiss.

The explosive episode ends with Mark Wright doing his best to squeeze out some dramatic tears as he gazes down at his friends at the party before making his dramatic exit.

He is of course off to Australia to appear in the jungle for I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here from this Sunday.

The Only Way is Essex will return for a Christmas special episode next month. Mark can be seen on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, premiering this Sunday, November 13, on ITV.

TOWIE hope to beat X Factor winner to Christmas number 1 with charity tune

WHILE The X Factor contestants are worried about who their returning competitor will be this Saturday, we think they ought to be more concerned about their Christmas number 1 rivals.

The TOWIE lot are set to give the winning act a run for their money when they release the Wham hit, Last Christmas on December 18.

And with the likes of James Argent and Jessica Wright on board, they’ll have some serious competition.

Arg is famed for flexing his vocal chords on the Essex-based show and I’m A Celeb star Mark Wright’s sister even did a stint in the girlband Lola.

Ladbrokes have given the cast odds of 6/1 to win, and with X Factor front-runner Marcus Collins the current favourite to take the top spot at 3/1, it looks like TOWIE are closing in on Nirvana’s [4/1] campaign to deny the talent show the coveted chart position.

The cast members have also recorded their own unique version of The Only Way Is Up for the B-side.

Well we’ll definitely be buying it, how about you?