The Only Way Is Essex viewers were unimpressed with Junaid Ahmed after he broke down in tears during Monday’s dramatic episode, filmed during the cast’s trip to Thailand.
The reality star, 28, appeared upset after attempting to reconcile the relationship between co-stars Dani Imbert, 24, Ella Rae Wise, 22, and their nemesis Chloe Brockett, 22.
After being berated by the ladies for his “drama” and “interference,” he later rolled his eyes at 25-year-old Jordan Brook.
But fans stated that his emotion was nothing but acting, while others even demanded that he be cut from the show.
After seeming to alienate himself from his friends, Junaid tearfully told Jordan about his predicament, “It just hurts because I’ve been feeling so bad for the past two days and I’ve felt so alone.” I’ve never felt this way before.’
Not impressed: Fans of The Only Way Is Essex were not impressed with Junaid Ahmed after he burst into tears during Monday’s dramatic episode, filmed during the cast’s trip to Thailand
Fuming: Viewers stated that his emotion was nothing but acting, while others even demanded that he be cut from the show
A viewer took to Twitter and shared a GIF that read, “And the Academy Award for Best Drama Queen goes to.”
While another wrote, “Junaid is full of drama these days,” and a third added, “Get Junaid off TOWIE.”
With another statement of approval: “I just don’t know what’s wrong with TOWIE’s casting directors. Junaid is the worst addition to the cast in years, it’s clear he’s unhappy and needs therapy, not air time.
And a fourth begged co-star Harry Derbidge to stay away, commenting, “Harry is a sweetheart and should stay far away from that self-absorbed little two-faced snake. [Junaid] is nothing but misery.
It comes after Saffron Lempriere slapped Gemma Collins for her criticism of TOWIE, which made her famous.
Former cast member Gemma, 42, tuned into a recent episode and denounced the ITVBe program for being ‘awful’ and ‘starless’, while vowing never to return.
And in an exclusive interview with MailOnline, her ex-best friend Saffron, 30, didn’t bite her tongue when asked about the dig.
The reality star, 30, reignited her feud with The GC, insisting she is ‘unhappy’ and ‘bored of her own life’ – and that it would be ‘an insult’ to be justified as a star by her.
Not happy: A viewer took to Twitter and shared a GIF that read, “And the Academy Award for Best Drama Queen goes to”
She said, “TOWIE put her on the map. She made a lot of money through TOWIE. I ran her business for her. She made a fortune.
“And because she’s not into it and she’s tired of her own life and now watching this play, she’s unhappy and has to dig and that’s actually my return.”
Meanwhile, Junaid added, “She said there are no stars in the show. There are five stars here.’
Saffron continued, “But I’m not offended by that. Gemma Collins justifying me as a star would be an insult anyway. It’s bad enough being compared to her all the time.
“But what I’m saying is that none of us take her opinion to heart. None of us are going to lose sleeping because Gemma says bad things about the show. We’re fine and it’s still here.’
It’s not the first time Saffron has done a savage dig at her former best friend.
In 2021, she participated in a candid question and answer session where she encouraged fans to write assumptions about her and she would confirm whether they were true or false.
“To be justified as a star by HER would be an insult!” TOWIE’s Saffron Lempriere has slammed ‘bored and unhappy’ Gemma Collins for claiming the show has ‘run out of stars’
Shock: Former cast member Gemma, 42, tuned into a recent episode and condemned the ITVBe program for being ‘awful’ and ‘lacking stars’, while vowing never to return
During the session, Saffron spoke candidly about her falling out with Gemma, cheekily saying that eight years of friendship was “enough.”
The reality star first revealed in September that she was “no longer in talks” with Gemma and that they had gone their “separate ways.”
When asked about their fallout, a fan asked, “You’ve always been friends with Gemma Collins,” to which Saffron replied with an animated face, adding, “8 years was enough,” followed by a crying laughing emoji.
While another follower wrote, “You and Gemma aren’t friends” to which Saffron responded with, “That’s right, I’ve been asked this about 30 times already. No problem.’
Later in the session, another fan asked, “Gemma was the cause of your friendship ending?” She seems to be losing a lot of friends,” with Saffron pulling a peace sign and adding a GIF of “facts.”
Saffron also admitted to being “hurt” by men and friends in the past and was also asked if she’d had a fight with Gemma about animals.
Happier times: Saffron (right) said, ‘None of us go to sleep because Gemma says bad things about the show. We’re doing well and it’s still there’ (pictured in 2018)
Ouch! Her best ex-girlfriend certainly didn’t bite her tongue when asked about the dig (LR: Gemma and Saffron pictured in 2019)
To which she replied, “I don’t know what this is about…probably more bs**t.”
Saffron also seemed to be doing a cryptic dig about not putting up with “fake s**t” and that she “cares too much.”
A fan said that the reality star doesn’t seem to hold back from her feelings about people, which Saffron confirmed was true.
She added, “I can’t stand fake shit, not to the point of slacking when I love, I love when I don’t, I don’t.”
While another fan assumed Saffron is a “real girl” who likes to be loved, to which the reality star commented, “I love to love, you never really care if you care too much about the wrong person, that’s a reflection of them not You. Thank you [heart emoji].’
MailOnline reached out to Gemma’s rep for comment at the time.
The Only Way is Essex continues on Sunday at 9pm on ITVBe.