Joey Turner looks happy and healthy as he steps out with friends in Soho

The Instagram filters, cryptic posts and provocative poses seemed a thing of the past when Joey Turner ventured into London on Thursday.

Joined by a male friend, former The Only Way Is Essex cast member Joey looked remarkably healthy as he browsed the shops in vibrant Soho.

Somewhat encouragingly, the former fashion school student seemed to gain a bit of weight after insulting social media followers with his gaunt appearance in a series of Instagram posts.

Turner enjoyed a day out in the bustling West End shopping district, looking relaxed in a gray hooded top and loose fitting jeans paired with white trainers.

The former TV personality wore a forest green tote bag over one arm, while his hair was styled in a simple side part that was at odds with the drastic buzz cut he debuted in January.

Turner was introduced to ITV’s reality show The Only Way Is Essex in 2019 and would befriend cast members Chloe Brockett, Ella Rae Wise and Kelsey Stratford.

Relaxed: Joined by a male friend, former The Only Way Is Essex cast member Joey looked remarkably healthy as he browsed the shops in vibrant Soho

Then and now: The former fashion school student appeared to gain weight after insulting social media followers with his gaunt appearance in a series of Instagram posts

Cheerful: Turner enjoyed a day out in the bustling West End shopping district, looking relaxed in a gray hooded top and loose-fitting jeans paired with white trainers

In a memorable scene, the former TV personality came to Olivia Attwood, with whom he developed a close bond, over dinner, but he would eventually leave the show to take a fashion design course in 2021.

He has since divided followers on social media with a series of alarming posts in which he appeared thin and unwell, leading to a mixture of concerned posts and vicious online abuse.

He told The sun at the time: ‘The point is I’ve always had a tall, thin frame, I’m six feet tall [180cm] so I am quite tall and have always had a tall build. Maybe I’ve lost weight, but not because I’m starving myself.

‘I weigh 7.5 stone’ [47kg]but I don’t weigh myself. I don’t care how much I weigh. I’m skinny, I can’t help being skinny. I’m not going to apologize to anyone.’

Finish: The former TV personality wore a forest green tote bag over one arm, while his hair was styled in a simple side part

Concern: Turner recently opened up about his struggles to cope with his fame after appearing on TOWIE and how he turned to heavy parties to cope

Don’t mind me: Turner mingled with other shoppers as he ventured into the West End

Enough to talk about: The former TV personality chatted with a friend during his latest outing

Turner later admitted he barely ate and drank every day after reaching the “breaking point” following his departure from The Only Way Is Essex.

Speaking to The Sun, he described the difficult aftermath of leaving the show and how his life was spiraling out of control – saying he felt like he was going “insane.”

He said, “I left TOWIE to go to college and do my own thing. But I was constantly hunted like an animal. Just because I’m in public doesn’t mean I’m not human, it’s like people forget.

“When I look back at the photos I’ve posted, I see how sad I look. I experienced and tolerated my emotions and I imagined it through my gaze. I didn’t have time to eat. I was so busy at such a young age.’

Walk this way: Turner admitted he barely ate and drank every day after hitting ‘breaking point’ following his departure from The Only Way Is Essex

Old times: Joey at the NTAs in September 2019, before his drastic weight loss sparked concern on social media

He’s happy: The former TOWIE star laughed and joked as he flipped through the shops on Thursday

Striking: Turner in one of the provocative Instagram posts that divided followers on social media

Tough: Turner previously described the difficult aftermath of leaving the show and how his life was spiraling out of control – he said he felt like he was going ‘insane’