Mario Falcone has left ‘The Only Way is Essex’.
The ITVBe regular has bowed out of the show after 14 series’ following a string of scandals including being caught snorting cocaine and breaking the channel’s rules by promoting diet pills.
He told The Sun newspaper: "I have had a great time on ‘TOWIE’ and relished the many opportunities the show has given me but after 14 series, I feel it is time to move on and explore something new."
The 27-year-old hunk had a tumultuous relationship with his former-fiancée Lucy Mecklenburgh on the show for several series’ before finally splitting in 2013.
More recently he had been dating model Emma McVey but that relationship has recently been thrown into uncertainty amid split rumours, with Emma tweeting she would "let everyone know the truth".
After his most recent suspension linked to the diet pills controversy stopped him from appearing in recent episodes filmed in Marbella, Spain, the fitness fanatic said it was a "blessing in disguise" because there had been so many arguments in the episodes.
He said at the time: "I was a bit gutted not to go to Marbs this year but, on reflection, having seen all the dramas they had out there it was probably a blessing in disguise.
"I am pleased to be back filming in Essex and looking forward to having some fun with the lads."
Mario Falcone quits The Only Way is Essex
