The only way is Essex

If you haven’t heard of ‘The Only Way is Essex’, you’re probably from another planet! For those who haven’t seen the show but want to know everything, this article is for you.

The show is actually a ‘dramility’, which means it is a type of reality show that is unscripted and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors. Its Wikipedia page describes the show as “real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way.” The show is filmed in Essex on just a few days notice and is narrated by Essex-born Denise van Outen. There have been 4 series and the recent series ended in February 2012. The first series was the most popular and made Mark Wright and Amy Child household names. Amy has since left the show and became a ‘big brother’. Since then, he’s had his own reality show and beauty salon, and Mark was a finalist on “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.”

The show has had some complaints to ITV2 as a number of people think it is a negative portrayal of Essex.

Since the series burst onto British television screens in 2010, many new words and phrases have become fashionable. The show is a bit like a kettle; Or you love it, or hate it. The name of the show itself has been abbreviated to ‘TOWIE’, which obviously stands for ‘The Only Way is Essex’. Below is a list of other words and phrases made famous by the show.

What are vajazzles?

Vajazzles are crystal ‘tattoos’ that are affixed to the skin near very intimate parts of your body. The word is a combination of two words, vagina and dazzle. You can have these applied by a beautician and can cost up to £100. But many shops now stock the crystal gems so you can easily stick them on yourself.

What does ‘reem’ mean?

Reem is a word used to describe something that looks or smells attractive, fit, healthy, or great. Joey Essex made him famous on the show and even created a song called ‘Reem’ in August 2011 with the cast featured in the video.

What does ‘well jel’ mean?

This means ‘well jealous’. So to put into a sentence you could say, “I love your coat, I’m fine jel.” This is basically saying that they love the coat and are very jealous.

Shaap!

Sha’ap is a way of saying ‘shut up!’ You have to say it with the Essex accent to get the right effect. If you saw the recent announcement for the latest series, you would have seen one of the new cast members using this phrase.

Another word that has become more popular since the show is “baby.” Many of the show’s characters have repeatedly used this word to describe an attractive young man.

So there you have it, that’s TOWIE in a nutshell. You’ll have to watch the show to really understand what all the fuss was about. You can buy the first series on DVD and fans can even take a tour of the locations.