Georgia Harrison has spoken about her experience with The Only Way Is Essex and what’s really going on behind the scenes.
The 28-year-old reality star first appeared on the show in 2014’s Ibiza special as Fran Parman’s best friend.
She ended up in a love triangle with Lewis Bloor and Tom Pearce while on the show before leaving and later appearing on Love Island in 2017.
Georgia has now shared how the unpredictable nature of filming TOWIE led the cast, worried about being fired, to filming club scenes in the middle of the day.
Speaking to host Emma Conybeare and journalist Sarah Morton for Slingo’s gossip show Getting Lippy, she revealed that some members of the cast would try to break into the “thicket of drama” to further their individual careers.
Candid: Georgia Harrison has opened up about her experience with The Only Way Is Essex and what’s really going on behind the scenes
Georgia recalled, “I’m 28 now, I moved on when I was 19. I think I definitely hadn’t developed into the person I am now.
“I was definitely less prepared to be filmed and broadcast in front of millions of people. I don’t know, it was a lesson in a good time in my life.’
When asked if the show is scripted, she said, “No. I think a lot of people suddenly have this vision behind reality TV [the producers] go, “cut,” and we’ll all just have a coffee and read our script. People just wouldn’t get away with it. It would come out.’
Georgia then spoke about the hectic schedule, explaining, “The reason there’s so much drama and it’s so intense is because of the dynamic of the show.
“When you’re filming it’s because you have some form of drama, and when you’re not filming you’re worried about getting fired.
“Let’s say it was like three weeks of filming and you were only invited on the group stuff and you didn’t have much of a storyline, you think, one that I don’t get paid that much because I don’t film much.
“Secondly, I’m just a bit of a spare, maybe I should do more.
“And I think that creates so much drama because you’re left with a group of people who, in order to advance in their careers, have to be in the midst of drama.”
Throwback: The reality star, 28, first appeared on the show in 2014’s Ibiza special as Fran Parman’s best friend (pictured on the show with Georgia Kousoulou)
Georgia denied being one of those stars, saying, “I didn’t do it [ever go to the producers with a storyline]but if I had, I might have lasted a little longer.
“I don’t know if it’s different now, but when I was there we were paid per day that we filmed.
“Everyone shot on a Sunday or Wednesday because it was a milestone birthday at Nanny Pat’s or something.
“You were guaranteed that money, then every other day you would just get more money if you were filming, let’s say you’re going on a date or you happen to be filming that day.
“Also, you’re told if and when you’re shooting the night before, so you really can’t have another job unless they’re extremely flexible.
“My mum said the other day that I would be sitting there, at around 11.30pm I would get a text that you have to be at this party tomorrow, it is Diwali themed, go and get the right clothes and you would say: “How am I supposed to do that? I’m floored right now and it’s tomorrow?!”
She added, “Because there’s a lot to film you have to start early and I’ve had times where I’ve been in Sugar Hut at 11 in a bodycon dress and heels and I’m like, ‘This just doesn’t feel right. It feels like I arrived here last night and never left.
Other members of TOWIE have come out to talk about filming since appearing on the show.
Another who denies the show is fake is Danielle Armstrong, who appeared on and off between 2013 and 2020.
During an appearance on Vicky Pattison’s The Secret To podcast, Danielle admitted she found it “annoying” when asked if the show was real.
She explained: “I absolutely hated that people could see so much of my real life and my emotions.
“I’m sure the biggest question you had with Geordie Shore, and the one I had, was, ‘Is it real?
“That used to make me angry because I was like, ‘Do you really think I can act? Didn’t you see me cry every Sunday and Wednesday on ITV?”
“We definitely cannot act. Well some sure can, but I definitely couldn’t and it was all so real.’
Georgia said, “The reason there’s so much drama and it’s so intense is the dynamic of the show” (pictured with Georgia Kousoulou and Lydia Bright in 2014)
Last year, Pete Wick reiterated her comments on the Saving Grace podcast, saying, “It never got a script baby. Never.’
However, he did admit that the producers arranged “bump-ins” between cast members at random locations.
Chloe Brockett said the same thing in an Instagram Q&A in 2021, saying: “TOWIE is 100% real.
“Of course we’re staged, because how else would we meet, but I always try to be my authentic self, regardless of the consequences.”
Echoing this, Chloe Sims explained: “On TOWIE is a bye when you just bump into someone you have a confrontation with.
“They’ll just say to you, ‘Look, we’re rolling, you’re going, you’re going to crash into him and whatever happens, happens.’
“For a TV show, that can be pretty tricky because it could have been like a two-second scene.”
Discussing a bump between her and Pete, she said: “But we ended up having a conversation and that’s why there’s a scene for TOWIE.
“Had I decided to leave the scene and go straight out, that would have been fine too.”
TOWIE executive producer Sarah Tyekiff told Vice, “It’s not a script. We don’t tell people what they’re going to say, and sometimes people walk into scenes not knowing they’re going to be there.
“It was pretty difficult to figure out how much was scripted and how much was real until I got to Lime, and then I was pleasantly surprised that it was authentic.
“Actually you look at the stuff and it’s so real because the cast is so brilliant and so committed to it.”
She admitted that when a new series of TOWIE is set to start filming, the cast members pass on all their recent drama to the producers.
She said: “The executives will sit down with them one-on-one in the office and find out what’s coming up in their lives over the next three months.”
“What the cast liaison team is working out on location is everyone’s feelings.
“Who is rubbing whom wrong, who wants to date someone? You’ll be the first to know if someone is keen on someone else – sometimes even more so than the performers.
“You’ll watch them flirt over the tea station or whatever, so they’re eyes and ears on the ground. And they bring the story back into the story producer’s room, who then puts it together to make the show.’
Speculations: Over the years there has been a lot of speculation as to whether or not the show is fake, but cast members have always come out in defense of the show
A former performer, who remained anonymous, spoke to the Daily Star in 2017 and said: “You feel like you just have to be in it because you signed up for it.
“There are things you’d much rather keep private, but it’s all fair game to the producers and they’ll talk you into it, so you end up thinking telling the world your darkest secrets is the best idea ever.” It makes you vulnerable to a lot of attacks from the public.”
They added: “Production call, ask us what’s going on in our lives and then set everything up for the camera.
“So if we say, ‘I’m a little upset with someone,’ they’re going to make us meet them. Or they call us and say, “We need you to talk to a specific person about this specific topic.” It’s actually quite exhausting.’