The Only Way Is Essex (series 1) The Only Way Is Essex (series 1) The first series of "The Only Way Is Essex" (TOWIE) began airing on 10 October 2010 on ITV2. The series concluded on 10 November 2010 after ten episodes. An Essexmas special aired on 24 December 2010 and is included on the Series 1 DVD. This is the first series to include cast members Amy Childs, Billie and Sam Faiers, Harry Derbidge, James "Arg" Argent, Jess and Mark Wright, Kirk Norcross, Lauren Goodger, Lauren Pope, Lucy Mecklenburgh, Lydia Bright, Maria Fowler and Patricia "Nanny Pat" Brooker, and the only series to feature Candy Jacobs
Reality television in purpose and style. In 1974 a counterpart program, "The Family", was made in the UK, following the working class Wilkins family of Reading. Other forerunners of modern reality television were the 1970s productions of Chuck Barris: "The Dating Game", "The Newlywed Game", and "The Gong Show", all of which featured participants who were eager to sacrifice some of their privacy and dignity in a televised competition. The 1976-1980 BBC series "The Big Time" showed, in each of its 15 episodes, a different amateur in some field (cooking, comedy, football, etc.) trying to succeed professionally in that field, with help