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.

The Only Way is Essex to rival Eastenders and Corrie?

 The rumours that the Only Way is Essex may become a weekly soap has got me all excited.

The cast of TOWIE collecting their BAFTA.

Bosses at ITV2 are reportedly considering upping the reality programme's status from a 12-episode series to a soap opera with a weekly slot, following news that TOWIE is one of the broadcasters' most watched shows. What a surprise?

Who could say no to more TOWIE relationship dramas between Lauren and Mark and Arg and Lydia, Nanny Pat's sausage plaits, along with seeing our fave Essex girls and boys-Amy, Sam, Lucy and the one and only Ream boy Joey. What with Kirk and Lauren's recent break-up, along with Sam giving Joey the push, and the cast's trip to Marbs, there would be plenty of material.

The Only Way is Essex- Mark proves his love for Lauren

Mark got in touch with his feminine side last night as he tearily spoke of his love for Lauren in front of all his family and friends.

The purpose of his speech at their engagement party, he said, was to prove to everyone that he’s serious about Lauren and to get their support.

However, moments earlier Mark had told Sam she will always be special to him, and he still has feelings for her. ‘It’s hard for me to say for you to let me go’, he said. ‘But I’m moving on now. You’re more special than any of the other girls I’ve seen. But I don’t want to tell you to wait for me in case Lauren and I break up, as I know you won’t do that anyway.’

To make matters worse, Mark had also met with Sam in the day for what he called a ‘business meeting’. Mark asked his ex whether she would be interested in working for him and heading up the glamour side of his model agency. Sam seemed surprised by his proposal and asked if he’d discussed it with Lauren. ‘She’ll have to get over it and trust me’, he replied. Sam said she would think about it.

Of course, the idea went down like a lead balloon with Lauren, who heard the news that Mark and Sam had met for lunch from Amy’s assistant Paloma while she was having her nails done. Lauren confronted Mark over the phone, and told him he had been dishonest. ‘You don’t go and meet a girl’, she said. ‘That’s how gossip starts.’ Mark explained he had asked Sam as she has glamour modelling experience. But then quickly reversed on his decision. ‘Did you invite her to our engagement party’, she said. Mark confessed he had suggested she come. Lauren replied, ‘I don’t know if I am coming yet. I can’t be bothered.’

It’s no wonder then that Mark’s family still don’t believe the wedding will happen. ‘I’ll believe it when I see them walk down the aisle’, Jess told her mum, family friend and Nanny Pat.

At least Mark can always rely on best mate Arg, who he enjoyed a pamper session with, and arrived at the party with on separate white horses. ‘I didn’t realise it was a gay wedding’, said Harry.