The Only Way is Essex-Lucy confronts Peri

Lucy visited Peri’s store on last night’s episode to discuss the rumours surrounding her, Peri and Mario.

‘It’s about time you and me had a chat’, said Lucy. Peri agreed. ‘Mario’s told me about your run-in and he feels bad about it as he classes you as a mate. A lot has been going on lately and he took it too far.’

The pair then agreed that there was no reason they couldn’t get on, until Lucy brought up that Gemma had told her that Peri had said Mario called her ugly.

‘I don’t know Gemma’, replied Peri. ‘All I know is that his mates said something about Lucy Mee.. and he went out with me. I’ve got no reason to lie, I’m not bitter’, she added.

‘Don’t speak about me, my past or Mario’, said Lucy. ‘For him to have a go at me when he is lying is out of order’, replied Peri.

The pair then agreed never to speak to each other again, before Lucy left Peri’s shop.

And it seems like all the rumours have finally got to Mario, who, after Lucy asked whether he wanted her to move in still, he revealed that he had doubts and wanted a bachelor pad. Lucy said he could still do that and she was still excited about him moving into his own place and meeting the challenge of becoming an Italian wife.

The Only Way is Essex-Sam gets the Wright approval

Sam was welcomed into the Wright family on last night’s episode as Mark’s mum Carol in invited her to dinner.

However, while out buying the ingredients for the dinner, Carol bumped into Mark’s ex Lauren at the supermarket. To make things more awkward, she revealed to Lauren that she was cooking a big dinner for Sam with the family. ‘Their dating, their just friends’, she insisted. ‘She’s requested shepherd’s pie.’

‘She’s taking my space’, joked Lauren. ‘You gave enough over the years’, replied Carol. Lauren suggested that if there were any left-overs she would come round the following day to polish them off.

But despite the light-hearted conversation, Lauren was more upset than she let on to Carol, telling friends Lauren P and Gemma that she was hurt as Carol had been more of a mum to her than her own mum. Gemma told her that from Carol’s point of view if Sam makes Mark happy then she will cook her shepherd’s pie.

At the Eright family meal, which Mark confirmed to Sam was a date, he said he wished ‘courting’ was like how it was in the old days as Nanny Pat told them what it was like when she was young. Mark said he felt girls were too ‘loose’ now and he wanted to go back to when couples just held hands. He went on to say that it’s terrible how many girls throw themselves at him and he says no everytime to them-as if?!

Mr Wright also revealed that he felt him and Sam were more than friends.

‘What is it you and me?’ he said to Sam. ‘When I left your house (after skiing) I was like fuck-how do I feel about her, maybe I’m falling for her? I don’t want to be in a serious relationship, but I don’t want you seeing other people and I won’t either. I think we’re more than friends?’ ‘Yes we are’, said Sam.

Also on TOWIE

• Arg considered getting his teeth whitened for Lydia and to look sexy and feel more confident as a singer. He told his dentist at a consultation he wanted a white shade between Hollywood and Brentwood.
• Mark visited Sam and sister Billie after they were attacked in a nightclub. Mark told Sam she was still beautiful even with two black eyes. He also admitted he got nervous around her.
• Harry asked Chloe for relationship advice with his potential new boyfriend who is part German.
• At a salsa class some of the group went to, Gemma told Arg, who was her dancing partner, that if Lydia ever broke up with him to come to her.
• Joey revealed that he likes Cara, however Kirk said he wasn’t interested in Cara, and Joey said he didn’t want to break up team Jerk but going on a date with just Cara.

Junior Apprentice-Mohamed walks the plank on ice-cream task

12 big headed arrogant teenagers wearing power suits, it must be the return of the Junior Apprentice.

On last night’s episode, the candidates were tasked with creating and selling their own frozen treats. Lord Sugar told them that it was basic task with the objective to sell, focusing on cost, sell, profits and margins. The winner? The team who made the biggest profit.

The 16 to 17-year-olds were split into boys vs girls, the boys, team Atomic, chose Harry Hitchins (Harry H) as project manager, for the girls, team Connectic, Hayley.

Their products? For the boys vanilla ice-cream and cookie ice-cream, plus watermelon and apple frozen yoghurt, with a pirate theme. Whereas the girls went for classic ice cream with a fruit twist, calling it Treat and Trim-treat the lips, trim the hips. ‘If only that was true’, said Sugar.

The boys made 60 litres of ice-cream, while the girls, who struggled with their maths, made 48 litres as they threw away 30 litres because they didn’t have enough fruit to include in it.

However, the girls made up for their error by increasing their prices, even charging 20p for a cone. The boys undercut their prices, £1.50 for one scoop and £2 for two.

No surprise then that the girls won the task with a profit of £708.34 to the boys £559.00.

While the girls enjoyed their treat of zorbing, PM Harry H, James and Mohammed faced Sugar’s wrath.

Lord Sugar told his advisers, Nick and Karen, that he thought Mohamed was a bit of a character and wants to take the credit for everything, with James not far behind, as the pair constantly argued over who came up with the pirate branding, each wanting to take the credit. Sugar told the trio-‘There are a few things I’m concerned with. Harry-as PM where was your strategic role?’

‘No-one else stepped up’, replied Harry H, who Sugar also criticised for not taking control of his team, in particular the mobile team whose sales weren’t great.

Sugar then turned his attention to Mohamed-‘Take it in the nicest way, but I don’t think you can be responsible for everything good in the task’, said Sugar. ‘What else did you do?’

Mohamed said he had brought the customers to the stall, however Sugar revealed he only £62 worth of ice-cream.

‘James you committed the most heinous of crimes from the start by suggesting ice-cream for only £1’, said Sugar.

Before coming to a decision who should leave the competition, Sugar told them it was a difficult decision as they have been chosen from thousands of people.

‘Mohammed you’re fired’, he said. As Mohamed left Sugar also issued a warning to James. ‘James watch it, because I’m watching you’, he said.

Next week the teams must design a product for the mother and baby market.

The Only Way is Essex-Mark's family welcome Sam while lauren G feels rejected

Mark’s mum Carol gave Sam her approval for dating her son on last night’s The Only Way is Essex as the gang celebrated the launch of Lydia’s new store Bella Sorella.

Carol told Sam she’s glad Mark has found someone to have fun with and suggested hey try dating and see how what happens. She even invited the blonde store owner over for dinner.

Having overheard their conversation, Mark’s ex Lauren G, told new best mate Lauren P that in the 10 years she was with Mark she tried to make an effort with his family, and Carol has immediately invited Sam over for dinner.

An angry Lauren G confronted Sam about her and Mark and told her she was shocked about them going out together as she felt they (Sam and Lauren G) were friends. ‘What’s going on?’, said Lauren. ‘Nothing happened’, replied sam. ‘If it did I would want you to tell me’, said Lauren.

Mark echoed Sam’s comments after telling Arg that his and Sam’s relationship is ‘harmless’, they get on well and there is nothing there yet. However, his actions suggested otherwise with the flowers he sent to Sam’s home and the night out he planned for the two of them, preparing food in a restaurant’s kitchen , followed by a romantic meal. Only last week Mark told Sam if it was a date he would wine and dine her???

During the meal Mark told Sam that they were ‘friends with benefits’, and he had always had feelings for her and still does.

‘I’m not saying we’re friends and that’s it’, he said. ‘Something could happen.’

Then Mark asked Sam if she felt them same and if she gets nervous butterflies when she sees him. Sam said she did and Mark revealed that he feels ‘homely’ around her and she is basically the female version of her. He added, ‘It’s nice to go for dinner, who knows where it will take us?’

He ended the date by dropping Sam back at home and giving her a peck on the check which she reciprocated, although Mark clearly wanted more.

Also on last night’s TOWIE:

• Joey and Kirk took Cara and Billi on a date to Hollywood Bowl. Joey stole a kiss from Cara and a cheeky grope, while Kirk and Billi appeared awkward.
• Mario invited Lucy to an Italian meal to get to know his family. Mario also invited Lydia, Arg and Debbie, who is half Italian. Mario’s dad-Mario Senior, told Lucy an Italian wife must cook and clean for her husband and always be ready for him! At the meal Debbie also revealed she was disappointed when Lydia came home with James, but he’s grown on her. When Arg said that he makes Lydia happy, Debbie said that he just made Lydia upset and stressed.

The Only Way is Essex-Mario sets the record straight

On last night’s TOWIE Mario, who bumped into ex Peri on the street, told her he head heard that she said he was only with Lucy to be the top boy in Essex, ‘It’s not true’, he said. ‘I chased Lucy for a year. It’s none of your business. You seem to be a bit bitter. Why would I pick you over Lucy?’

Peri was appalled by Mario’s comments and asked him who he thought he was speaking to her like that. ‘Do one’, said Mario.

At Joey’s pool party, Gemma told Mario he was out of order saying that to Peru as no-one wants to hear someone is prettier than them. She proceeded to tell Lucy and Mario that they need to grow up and she has had enough of listening to it.

Also on last night’s episode:

• Maria told best mate Lauren Pope it’s been the worst week of her life because of the vicious rumours about her working as an escort, when it was a promo trip to Dubai. She said she felt embarrassed and was having to confirm to her family it wasn’t true. And when Lauren asked her about Mick she said he hadn’t spoken or text her.

However Mick implied to son Kirk that wasn’t the reason why he was ignoring Maria, but because he had heard she had been seeing another guy. ‘I don’t want to be messed around anymore’, he said, before claiming that he needs to listen to his son’s advice more.

The Only Way is Essex-Mark and Sam go on a date?

After staying the night at Mark’s the evening of the Sugar Hut karaoke night-when Mark text a mystery girl to come and keep him company, Mark asked Sam if she wanted to go skiing as mates.

Mark told Sam that he thought a lot about her and cared for her. ‘We should go skiing, it’s not a date. If it was a date I would wine and dine you’, he said.

Later on in the day, Mark asked Arg, who was having a colonic, whether he and Lydia wanted to skiing with him and Sam. ‘Lydia loves skiing’, said Arg.

Fortunately Lydia had already agreed to make up with Mark and end all the arguing with Arg so they could be a ‘happy family again.’

Before the 'double date' Sam met with Lauren G, Mark’s ex, to tell her that she was going on a date with Mark. Lauren said she had to let him get on with it, after revealing that she slept with her ex a week ago.

During the 'date', Mark told Sam he invited her there as a friend, although it didn’t stop him from flirting with the blonde shop owner and hinting that they go on a proper date. However, when asked if he was now a one-woman man by Arg, he said that he intended to have fun with other girls too.

When Joey heard that Sam and Mark had gone on a date he was furious. Lauren G told him at his pie and mash animal themed pool party that Sam had told her she was going skiing with Mark.

‘Oh my God, what is Sam doing’, exclaimed Joey. ‘Mark thinks he can get with the bird I was with? I didn’t think Mark would do this to me. It’s hurt me more in the way of Mark’, he told Lauren.

Mary Queen of Frocks- How do you solve a problem like Mary?

Despite Mary's opening of her new store turning out to be a hit and netting her £18,598 in profit, way over her £10,000 daily target, the retail consultant still wasn't happy.

While customers complimented Mary on her designs and the impeccable customer service, Mary was more concerned that her best-sellers were out of stock and not being replenished, and rightly so with a long waiting list of women desperate for her Arora dress.

Worried that HOF's failure was causing her to loose money and people's custom, she complained to store manager Paul, who told her he didn't like loosing money too but that everything would come together. Another of Mary's issue she discussed with the store manager was the department store's badges her staff are made to wear.

'I really don't want name badges on staff', she moaned. 'It doesn't go with what I'm trying to create.'

Paul told Mary that there needed to be compromise and acceptance. 'The C word isn't in my vocabularly', an angry Mary replied, who was furious that HOF was turning her space into their own brand.

'It feels like when coming in it's not my store it's House of Fraser's', she said after finding HOF store card pamphlets on her till and hearing that her staff have been told to offer the card to every customer.

'You can cage the best, but you can't tame the beast', said Paul in response to Mary's attack on the department store.

Then Mary was given the news that her brand would be rolled-out to other HOF stores following a successful  three to four weeks of trading in London. However instead of being happy, Mary cried that it wasn't about a roll-out as the store was her dream. She then exclaimed that she wanted stores in London, Paris and Milan, not Guildford, Kent, where she was sent to suss out the department store's clientele.

Surprisingly shoppers at Guildford pleaded with Mary to bring her designs to their store, after one forty something woman told her she was stuck in a style rut and needed help, which reassured Mary. So she enlisted the help of her team member Mark, who impressed her with his selling technique, to help her with the roll-out and ensure it would be a 'brand roll-out, not a bland roll-out.'

But while she had her team and the HOF big-wigs on side, her neighbours Spencer and Liz were angry at Mary for stealing their customers. To help them the retail consultant set them a challenge to dress her in their brand's designs, evening wear, while she would dress Liz in the clothes from her space, all filmed and aired on HOF's store TV channel. It's a good PR stunt she assured them as staff from the ground floor gathered around the TV to watch.

The Only Way is Essex-Lydia threatens to call time on her and Arg's relationship

Lydia told Arg on last night's episode she's not being with someone like him before she ordered him out of her shop.

The argument started with Arg telling Lydia she is constantly digging at his best friend Mark, and calling her a bully. 'If you loved me like you say you do you would make an effort with Mark', said Arg.


Even Lydia's mum-Debbie, took James' side, telling Lydia she needs to lay off Mark and make a bit of an effort if she wants to be with Arg.

But the comment didn't sit with Lydia, who shouted at James asking him why he always pushes, before telling him to leave her shop.

Lucky she didn't know that James had turned down Mark's offer of them (Mark and Arg) having a break from each other, after Mark told him he thought Lydia was concerned that they spend too much time together.

'Not it's not just that', said Arg. 'She has to prove she loves me and give me respect.'

He added, 'Lydia is so brainwashed. She doesn't know what's going on behind closed doors', referring to the trouble between Lucy, Mario and Mark.

Afterwards when Lydia spoke to Lucy she told her she feels down and shit at the moment, what with James and her arguing over Mark.

'I'm frustrated. I need space at the moment', she told Lucy.

Also on last night's TOWIE:

• Mario told his sister Georgina that he 100 per cent trusts Lucy. He told his sister that it had been the hardest week of his life and that he wanted to trust his girlfriends but it is difficult with everyone else's opinions.
• After a visit from his mum, where Mark told her he missed female company but didn't want a girlfriend, Mark text someone to meet him outside the Sugar Hut, leaving viewers on a cliff hanger. Did he text and meet either Sam, Lucy or Lauren G?
• Kirk invited a girl-Billi, he met at the petrol station to the karaoke night he held at the Sugar Hut. Billi brought her friend Cara with her for Joey. Get in there team Jerk.
• Joey moved into his new home. A glorified pool house complete with pool.
• Gemma took Harry on a driving lesson.

The Only Way is Essex-Jess reveals Lucy did sleep with Mark

Jess revealed in front of Nanny Pat on last night’s episode that Lucy asked her to lie and say she stayed at her’s the night she was supposed to have slept with Mark.

‘It takes two to tango’, said Nanny Pat, who was around Mark’s flat ironing his clothes for him.

And it seems Mario, who called of the break between him and Lucy and told her she only has one more chance, isn’t so squeaky clean.

Sam’s friend Peri, who dated Mario, told her that Mario and her broke up two weeks before the group’s trip to Marbella and that Mario was never interested in Lucy. Peri said she thought Mario was with Lucy to become the big man in Essex.

The Only Way is Essex-Lydia puts Mark in his place

Lydia stood up to Mark on last night’s The Only Way is Essex, telling him he is disrespectful to girls and she needs to stick up for them.

Mark, who had been expecting Lucy, after texting her to meet him ASAP, claiming it was in her interest, told Lydia that he didn’t want to argue with her and he was 100 per cent telling the truth about sleeping with Lucy and didn’t want people thinking he is a liar.

‘I don’t need to brag about sleeping with Lucy’, he said.

Lydia replied that she didn’t want to comment on the situation and came to speak to Mark to sort out their ‘situation.’

‘I know you’re authoritative and powerful, but I don’t want you to take James away from me’, said Lydia.

‘The last thing I want is for you and Arg to split up. I’m looking forward to the day you get married’, Mark replied.

He added, ‘Unless you have something good to say then don’t say anything at all.’

‘I won’t talk to you then’, said Lydia.

Lydia’s attack on Mark came after Arg ditched her for Mr Wright the night before (Sunday’s episode) and in spite of an apology from James.

Lydia told James, who visited her at her shop that he’s acting like an idiot again and he is Mark’s bitch. ‘You’re the only prick in Essex that is friends with him’, she said. ‘We’ve gone back ten steps.’

Also on last night’s TOWIE

• Gemma quit her diet after revealing to Frankie Essex that she is unhappy watching her weight and what she eats.
• Chloe revealed that she is going to get a bum job, which she believes will get her a new man. Her bum job will mean she doesn’t have to wear chicken fillets in her knickers anymore.
• Joey and Kirk have named themselves team Jerk. The boys also went to buy Joey a grill for his new flat without an oven, both wearing matching short sports shorts, which Joey said would attract the girls?
• Maria and Mick went on their second date, to the seaside Leigh on Sea on Mick’s motorbike.
  
  

Mary Portas Queen of Frocks- turning a department store into a sex shop?

Purple dildos and ‘Armoury’tights worn on the arms, were just some of Mary’s ideas for her new store at House of Fraser.

On last night’s episode of Queen of Frocks, the retail guru told House of Fraser bods that she wanted the design of her retail space to be fun and sexy with neon pictures of naked silhouettes of women and an area selling sex toys.

‘This is a family store’, the managers told her. ‘I don’t want to have to explain to my seven-year-old what a dildo is’, said another.

So the dildo’s were replaced with a line of homeware, a comparable compromise?

Things got worse as a month to go until the launch, and Mary’s collection was slated by her group of forty something women and a focus group set up by her business manager to decide whether Mary should be the face of the advertising campaign, after the retail consultant refused to do it, not wanting a celebrity endorsed line, like she said ‘Linda Barker with DFS.’The focus group, who agreed that Mary’s face shouldn’t be used to advertise the brand, said her clothes were boring and not quirky like the way she dresses.

However, Mary’s harshest critic was forty something Penn, who told her that her suit (part of collection) made her (Penn) look like a McDonalds manager, her sheer shirt was something she would have worn in the eighties, and a tight-fitting dress, which the other women said looked lovely on her, she claimed covered up her body which was better than the dress.

Taking on their feedback, Ms Portas extended her collection with clothes that she would wear, wasn’t that an obvious move, adding a leopard print shift dress and leather panelled dress. She also came up with, what she considered to be a genius idea to banish bingo wings and replace the shrug, ‘Armoury’, tights worn as sleeves, which Daily mail journalist Liz Jones scoffed at.

And that wasn’t Mary’s only problem, her only make member of staff Mark failed to respond to messages about a training day, leaving Mary to chase him herself, and then missing his train to go and view Mary’s shoe collection in collaboration with Clarks, along with the rest of the team. He turned up an hour late and missed the training. Mary warned Mark, who has been unemployed for a year, she was taking a risk with him.

On next week’s episode Mary’s store opens to the public.

The Only Way is Essex-Mark breaks-up Lucy and Mario

Mark successfully drove a wedge between couple Lucy and Mario on last night’s episode as he revealed that him and his ex had slept together three weeks ago, which Lucy adamantly denied.

The bombshell came after Mario asked Lucy to move in with him to his new apartment during their double date with Lydia and Arg. However the tables soon turned as after the run-in with Mark, Mario told Lucy they needed a break.

‘I would do anything for you. At the beginning of the night I bought us a flat, now Mark says you slept together’,fumed Mario. Lucy reacted by saying that Mark was just trying to bring them down as he can see how happy they are.

‘Lucy can’t stay away from Mark’, said Mario to Lydia, who was with the pair after Arg left their date to go meet Mark. ‘I treated you like a princess. It makes me question what we’re doing here’, Mario told Lucy.

‘I’ve wasted six months of my life believing Lucy’, claimed Mario, before telling his girlfriend they need to take a break.

And that wasn’t the only relationship that hit self destruct as Lydia told Arg, who not only ditched her for Mark, but who she caught with two girls at the club with Mark. ‘You’ve fucked up again’, she told him.

Earlier Lydia told Mario and Lucy that Mark controls people and James is getting sucked in. ‘He did it with Lauren for ten years. She got out. We are the three people (Lydia, Lucy, Mario) he can’t control. Mark has no other friends apart from Arg.’

Also on last night’s The Only Way is Essex

• Gemma made it very clear to Maria how she feels about her and Mick dating. At Sam’s sleepover, where the girls chatted about men and relationships, Gemma, who was nearly in tears, said to Mari in front of everyone that she was still getting over the shock that they (Maria and Mick) might get married. However, earlier on in a one-one conversation with Maria, she said that she was happy for the couple. Maria told her is she was cool about it than just to leave it. Gemma replied, ‘Then let’s not ruin the night.’
• Kirk and Joey’s bromance developed as Kirk told Joey how to cook, which he said would impress the girls.

Coming soon to a cinema near you-We Need to Talk about Kevin

I'm really excited about the arrival of We Need to Talk about Kevin to the big screen at the end of this month. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Lionel Shriver, the story follows a mother who tries to deal with her grief and feelings by writing to her estranged husband after her 15-year-old son goes on a killing spree at his secondary school.

The film adaption sees Tilda Swinton play mother Eva, John C Reilly as dad Franklin and Ezra Miller as Kevin. As films go this is sure to be a hit, after being critically acclaimed at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Only Way is Essex-Mick and Maria's first date causes Gemma's jealousy

Mick and Maria went on their first date on last night’s The Only Way is Essex.

Despite Mick having to play ‘teacher’ at dinner and explain to Maria where Chile is and that we have a coalition Government, the pair both said they fancied each other and agreed to go on another date.

However, Gemma wasn’t too happy when she got hold of the news that Mick and Maria are dating.

When Lauren Pope told Gemma that Maria and Mick were out on a date, Gemma first of all thought she was joking and then told her she was a bit pissed off about it. ‘What a bitch’, she said referring to Maria.

Lauren Pope replied, ‘But it was you that set them up?’ ‘I thought they wouldn’t get on’, said Gemma. ‘That’s back-fired a bit then’, replied Popey.

‘If they (Maria and Mick) get married I’ll pelt them with eggs’, claimed Gemma, who a week ago exclaimed she was over Mick?

Also on last night’s episode

• Sam and Joey met for a drink to discuss their failed relationship and clear the air. Joey told Sam he couldn’t understand why she broke up with him. Sam told him things were moving too fast and it was just wrong timing. Joey replied that he still loved her, while Sam told him to stop as it made it harder through tears. The pair hugged and Sam left. Not sure that cleared the air?

The Only Way is Essex-Mark 'If I wanted Lucy I could have her'

Mark and Mario went head to head again on last night’s TOWIE, during Mark#s sister Jess’ underwear party for the launch of her new shop, for which Lucy was a model for.

The trouble started when Arg overheard Joey and Kirk, Mario’s friend, saying that Mario still has a grudge against Mr Wright. Sticking up for his best mate, Arg told Kirk and Joey that it was just ‘boy bitching’ and Mario is probably a but jealous?

When Arg relayed the information to Mark, Mr Wright took Mario aside to have a word. Mark told Mario he was annoyed for him to act as a bitch. Mario told him it was ‘boy banter’, Mark replied, ‘You don’t like me.’ ‘True’, said Mario.

‘We met once and had a chat and got on well. I didn’t bitch afterwards, but you did. That is disrespectful’, said Mark, who implied that if Mario trusted Lucy there wouldn’t be an issue.

‘I don’t trust you’, said Mario. ‘You’re getting it wrong. I didn’t like her at the time she cried over me. What I’m trying to say is if I wanted her (Lucy) I could have her’, boasted Mark.

However, it appears Lucy doesn’t feel the same about her ex as she told Lauren G, after apologising to her that they had both seen the light in regards to Mark, and that she is happy in her new relationship. Lucy admitted that the decisions she had made with Mark were disgusting and she had been dreading bumping into Lauren. Whereas Lauren said she had done her a favour as all Mark does is use people to hurt others.

Mary Queen of Frocks-The retail consultant is off to a difficult start

Queen of Shops Mary Portas put her money where her mouth is as she turned her dream of starting a clothing line for 40 plus women into reality.

On the first episode of Mary Queen of Frocks, the retail consultant was up against the clock to design and create a collection unique to anything else on the high street, and recruit 12 members of staff to work for her brand.

The first hurdle was to find a backer crazy enough to agree to work with head strong Mary.Marks and Spencer's ignored her and the chairman of Jaeger and Aquascutum said he couldn't do it. A glimmer of hope came when Ms Portas received a call from department store House of Fraser, who agreed to giver her a 2,000 sq ft space in their flagship (Oxford Street). The catch? 'You need to make £2m in the first year', said CEO John King, and create a collection and have the space up and running in six months, a mean feat even for Mary.

Ms Portas' plan-to produce from scratch seven easy pieces, not tweak-ready made collections as House of Fraser had hoped.

Then came the problem of recruiting staff. After a talk with the department store's existing employees, many of whom were told they could loose their jobs as the shop is modernised, only one person applied, Siobhan from Austin Reed.

'I feel like Billy no mates', said Mary. So she took her search nationally and placed an ad in the Metro newspaper, a move which saw hundreds of people apply and Mary Whittle them down to just 12. Among Mary's team of staff, former Biba manager, a camp Northerner and a self proclaimed crazy woman. Siobhan didn't make the cut.

At the same time she recruited a group of 'real women' in their fifties to advise her and enlisted the help of her wedding dress designer.

 But with so much more to do before the store can open will it prove too much for Mary and will she crack under the pressure. The pressure of delivering perfect customer service after criticising other brand's' service and making a profit rather than a loss, as most lines starting out do.

The Only Way is Essex-Mick and Maria to marry?

Gemma’s wish to match-make the whole of Essex and rid the county of all singletons may be on the way to coming true, as lock and key couple (singles date night) Mick and Maria arranged to go for a drink on last night’s episode.

Mick asked Maria out on a date during Lauren Pope’s paintballing party, despite worries that it would cause trouble with his son Kirk, who in the past had a few run-ins with Maria over former girlfriend Lauren.

‘I think too much about Kirk. Kirk has to get over that stuff’, he said.

And wanting to clear the air herself, Maria decided to have a word with Kirk minus paintball guns. After telling him about the date with his dad, Kirk told her he thought it was weird as she is younger than his brother. However, Maria replied that she is older than him.

‘I prefer my dad to be with a woman with kids and life-experience’, admitted Kirk.

‘I’m just looking out for my dad. As long as you make him smile. I’m fed up with arguing.’

‘There might be a wedding’, said Maria. ‘Shut up’, replied Kirk.

But just as a potential relationship is starting, another may be coming to an end, as Mark gets involved in Lucy and new boyfriend Mario’s love life, even after agreeing to stay away from Lucy to Mario when they bumped into each other at the gym.

Mario told Mr Wright that he has given Lucy rules-not to speak to Mark or any of his family, and that he doesn’t have a problem with him.

‘I want you to respect the fact I’m with Lucy. I’m not going to lie, I asked her not to talk to you in a club.’

Mark replied, ‘You don’t need to feel threatened. You need to talk to her (Lucy) and get her not to talk to me. Anything you want to know ask me.’

However, Mark changed his tune after seeing Lucy in his flat modelling his sister Jess’ underwear ahead of the launch of her lingerie store.

‘You look smoking by the way’, said Mark as he stood in the doorway to his flat, while Lucy was mortified.

Perhaps Mark should take his dad’s advice, Mark senior, who for his first ever appearance on the show, told him he needed to ‘go out with the boys and see different girls-not from the same group.’

‘I’m sick of this, so is the whole family’, he told Mark Jr after he asked his dad whether he was handling the break-up in the right way.

His dad told him he had messed up Lauren’s life and now she has messed up his.

‘Make me proud’, he said.

Also on last night’s TOWIE

• Arg started his new job as a DJ on hospital radio, but he didn’t make a great impression after talking about the girls in Marbs. His boss told him that’s not what recovering 80-year-olds want to hear. He also said that Arg was more like Christopher Robin than Chris Moyles or Evans.
• Joey announced to his sister Frankie that he is ready to move out and get his own place. However when Frankie talked about what bills he would have to pay he was clueless, not even knowing you have to pay TV licence or for water.
• Sam and Joey agreed to meet up and talk to clear the air so it isn’t as awkward when they see each other out.