TOWIE star cancels town date after split (From Basingstoke Gazette)

TOWIE star cancels town date after split

9:01am Thursday 9th February 2012 in News By Emily Roberts

A REALITY TV star who was meant to visit Basingstoke to launch a wedding competition with her boyfriend has backed out because they have split up.

The Only Way Is Essex’s (TOWIE) Lydia Bright was due to join James Argent in Festival Place on February 11 to launch a competition to win a wedding.

The popular couple were thought to be the perfect pair to help Festival Place launch the competition and help shoppers celebrate Valentine’s Day, having been together since they were teenagers.

But in the first episode of the new series on ITV2 earlier this month, viewers saw relations between the two break down.

Now, Lydia, who owns her own boutique, has decided against accompanying her now ex to the town and will instead let him go alone – avoiding what could have been an awkward situation.

A statement from Arg’s agent said: “Due to the show being real life, it isn’t an ideal situation that James and Lydia attend this appearance together.”

It is the second time the TOWIE star has bailed out of a visit to Basingstoke. In November last year, she was meant to appear at Karma at The Top of The Town, but received a better offer in Los Angeles. Arg, who was her boyfriend at the time, stepped in and saved the day by honouring her commitment instead.

On Saturday, Arg will take to the stage in Festival Place to perform his famous swing covers.

Brides and their fiancés are invited to go along and register for the chance to win a wedding worth £15,000, including a honeymoon to Barbados and reception for 50 guests.

Each participating couple will be given wedding ‘passports’ and for two months entrants need to gain passport stamps from each contributing retailer when visiting to look at their wedding range.

Fifty couples with completed passports will then be chosen and invited to a champagne reception in Festival Place on April 29, when they will be shortlisted to six finalists.

Each of the six couples will be handed a ring box, but only one will contain a ring. The winner will walk away with the wedding package.