Joey Essex banned from dating his Celebs Go Dating co-stars by E4 show bosses
The former TOWIE star hooked up with MIC's Stephanie Pratt during the first series, but there's a new rule in his contract
Joey Essex is returning to E4’s Celebs Go Dating – but it won’t be a case of history repeating itself.
E4 bosses have banned the famous contestants from dating each other, after Joey and series one co-star Stephanie Pratt became an item during the show.
Joey told The Sun that the new rule is “written in my contract.”
The former TOWIE and Made In Chelsea stars had, after all, missed the point of the programme, which was intended to set them up with members of the public.
Joey himself had insisted he wanted to meet someone who wasn’t a celebrity when he signed up to take part in the romantic series.
But after spending time together filming and doing promo for the series, Joey and Stephanie went on to have a three month relationship.
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Their feelings for each other were confirmed with a steamy pool romp towards the end of the series.
Asked if the contract alteration was his fault, Joey laughed: “I guess so.”
Single Joey insisted he “100%” does not want to date another famous contestant this time around, returning next year for the show’s bumper twenty-episode run.
But when pushed on whether he’d break the rules if a stunning celeb signed up, his certainty wavered.
Joey laughed: “No comment.”
According to a TV insider the contract change is addressed in the first episode, but is all very tongue-in-cheek.
They said: “It’s all very light-hearted. It’s made a joke of as Joey is told he mustn’t date any of the celebrities taking part.
“He teases he’s really upset when he finds out who one of the girls is. But it’s not serious.”
Joey and Stephanie split in October of this year.
A source claimed Joey ended things with the US-born socialite because she wanted to spend all of her free time in Chelsea
They explained: “He genuinely fell for her and even though they were an unlikely couple, he hoped it could turn into something more serious.
“But he realised it was never going to work with him spending so much time away from home.”
Joey is hoping things will go better a second time around.
Other stars signed up for the series include Diversity’s Perri Kiely, CBB star Jonathan Cheban and Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton.