The thirty-sixth series of the British reality television programme The Only Way Is Essex began airing on ITV2 on 26 April 2026 and concluded on 25 May 2026. Filming began in January 2026, with several of the episodes being filmed in Vietnam.
Prior to the beginning of the series, it was announced that Roman Hackett, Sammy Root and Matilda Draper would all be departing the show after appearing in nine, three and two series, respectively. It was also confirmed that Chloe Meadows would not appear in this series after announcing she would be taking a break from the show. In February 2026, it was announced that Freddie Bentley would be leaving the programme after five series, having flown home early whilst the cast were filming in Vietnam. Three new male cast members joined during the series: Josh Francis and identical twins Joe and Jonnie Gurie.
Cast
Episodes
References