The Only Way Is Essex comes to an end for another series, another original cast member announces they are leaving.

Don’t get too upset though, it’s only Lauren Goodger.

Lauren, who has been on the show since it began, used the series finale of the show last night to make amends with people before announcing her intention to leave the show (to take part in Dancing On Ice – read more here).

During  lunch with James Argent  and her feuding TOWIE co-stars, Jess Wright and mum Carol Wright, she attempted to make amends with Jess following the fall  out over a previous nasty fight which ended in Lauren pulling Jess’ hair out (hands up who wishes that had been filmed for the show?)

Lauren said: “I wanna draw a line under everything that’s happened.”

However, Carol was not in the most forgiving mood and said: “When Jess came home she looked like she’d been in a car crash.”

To which Lauren replied “I looked like I had been run over by a lorry.”

Despite her mum’s bitterness, Jess was a little more reasonable, and told Lauren: “At least we get certain things off of our chests, I appreciate you coming in and making an effort.”

Later at Lucy Mecklenburg’s 21st birthday party Lauren told James Argent that she is leaving the show:

“I will always love Mark Wright all my life…I can’t stay around here anymore, I feel like I need to be me and get away and find myself,” she confided.

“I’m so scared.”

Arg replied “God that’s another friend gone.”

Lauren continued “I’ve been on such a journey with Sam, Lucy and Mark… I know you’ll always love Lydia.”

To which Arg replied: “It’s sad the way things work out, we’ve both lost the love of our lives.”

After an emotional hug, Arg told his old friend: “I’ll miss you.”

To which a teary Lauren replies: “I’ll miss you too.”

Meanwhile, Joey Essex has confirmed that he will not be leaving the show, after a comment he made on social networking site, Twitter, sent fans into panic thinking he was quitting the show.

Joey worried his fans last night by implying that he was intending to leave TOWIE after he tweeted: “I will miss my Towie family for life,”

“LOVE you all… And always will! You got me were I am and what I always wanted. Love you all #TOWIE [sic]”

He also told Yahoo OMG earlier that same day that he was “not sure” if he would be returning, but has since cleared up any confusion by posting:

“Everyone… I’m not leaving TOWIE! The producers are leeving and the people I work with. And I’m just telling them I’ll miss them. #TOWIE”

Thank goodness for that, we don’t think we could cope without Joey and his lunch menu of insults in the hit ITV2 reality show!