Towie cast get huge pay rise after strike threats

The Only Way is Essex cast have reportedly hit a bumper pay deal after a strike over low wages.

ITVBe’s popular reality series has been a hit for the broadcaster for years, launching the careers of many a TV star, but according to The Sun the cast had begun to complain that they were being paid a pittance compared to other ITV talent.

With the show’s stars reportedly on as little as £100 a day, they decided to take matters into their own hands by boycotting the ITV summer party and threatening to strike over filming.

Read more: Lauren Goodger branded disgraceful and sleazy

Apparently, one unnamed Towie star told The Sun: “We gave Towie bosses an ultimatum — pay us or we won’t work. We all refused as a group to go to the ITV summer party.

“We said we won’t turn up for work and to show just how serious we were we didn’t turn up to the recent ITV do. But they gave in the following day and a lot of us have had a pay increase.”

It’s said that the new pay scale will be split into four bands, depending on how famous the cast member is.

So apparently the biggest stars - including Bobby Norris, Chloe Sims, Georgia Kousoulou and James “Diags” Bennewith - will command £450 for a day of filming.

Then the lower rungs will be set at £350, £250, or just £90 for newcomers who fans haven’t had the chance to warm to yet.

Read more: Gemma Collins’ bottle cap challenge fail nearly ends in the sea

If all is happy in the Towie camp, the show will begin filming again in Bali in August, on a glamorous break from its usual Essex location.

The show has been running since 2010 over 24 series so far, with stars such as Gemma Collins, James “Arg” Argent, Sam and Billie Faiers, Joey Essex, Mark Wright, Lauren Goodger and Amy Childs all finding fame there.