'The Only Way Is Essex' series eight starts later this month

The Only Way Is Essex returns for its eighth series at the end of the month.

Joey Essex and his co-stars will be back for more "conflicts, confrontations and some complicated love lives", ITV has confirmed.

Filming for the new series will start the week before transmission.

The show remains one of ITV2's strongest shows in the ratings, despite departing cast members such as Mark Wright, Amy Childs and Lauren Goodger and a critical mauling for last year's first ever live episode.

Series seven ended with an audience of over 1.4 million (BARB figures). The series did previously clock in over 2 million viewers at its peak in series three, but the numbers still remain relatively strong.

TOWIE is back on Wednesday, February 27 at 10pm on ITV2.