Ferne McCann: ‘Sam and Billie loved TOWIE – but I was cast as the gobby one’

2023-05-22

Ferne McCann has revealed that she felt the need to 'perform' while starring in The Only Way Is Essex, living up to a confrontational character to gain airtime.

The reality star, 32, who rose to fame on the ITVBe series back in 2013, was prompted to join the show after seeing the success that at-the-time close friends Billie Shepherd and Sam Faiers were having.

Talking exclusively with OK! this week, the soon to be mother-of-two admitted to becoming trapped in a caricature of herself as she battled to secure a leading role and explosive storylines.

“I’d seen how much Sam and Billie were loving it and the success they’d had,” said the TV personality.

Continuing: “I was a hair colourist at the time, hated my London commute and wanted something more. But I got caught in this warped sense of reality – ironic for a reality show.

“Airtime meant a certain level of success, so I needed to be involved in the drama and gained this reputation as the opinionated, gobby, confrontational one. I’m not like that at all, but I wanted to perform and was tangled up in this bitchy character I’d created."

Adding that this negatively impacted her mindset, Ferne shared: "It was draining and it wasn’t rewarding because I wasn’t well-liked. Looking back, I was emotionally immature and my mental health was at an all-time low."

Ferne joined TOWIE as a hopeful twenty-something looking to be famous, arriving on the scene with her at-the-time boyfriend Charlie Sims – whose sister Chloe was also a staple in the show.

The on-off couple then became the centre of many drama-filled storylines until their 2015 split, and both left the show shortly after.

Despite joining after seeing the success of close friends Sam and Billie, the star has since lost contact with the sisters following a voice note scandal last year.

Despite her rollercoaster TOWIE days portraying a difficult character to live up to, the show did pave the way for Ferne to be able to show her true self on TV; including during a stint in the I'm A Celebrity….Get Me Out Of Here! jungle.

And now, she has returned to the ITVBe screen for another go, but this time on her own terms with show First Time Mum, which features her daughter Sunday, five, and beau Lorri Haines.

With another little one on the way, the pregnant star will be sharing even more insight into her life with the show and is celebrating ten years since arriving on the TOWIE scene.

Aside from TV, she and Lorri are also launching their own wellbeing app named Shoorah, aiming to transform mental health through meditation.

A long way from the star lost in a world of reality TV Ferne confirms to OK!: "I know exactly who I am. I know what makes me happy and who the people are I want to spend my time with."

For more on Shoorah, go to shoorah.io

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