Oh, just when it looked like things could have finally been picking up for former The Only Way Is Essex star, Maria Fowler, she gets another slap in the face!

Poor Maria has been in our headlines for all the wrong reasons since leaving the hit ITV2 reality show, from being accused of being a homophobic racist to being turned away from entering Celebrity Big Brother, but we all saw a glimmer of hope after pictures of her leaving a club with her former TOWIE co-star fling, Mick Norcross.

But, alas, it is not to be.  Mick has denied that the pair have re-kindled their relationship.

Maria and Mick enjoyed a brief romance during her time on the show but it came crashing to an end after press reports revealed that she had once been an escort.

Not long after that she was fired from the show in a big cast shake up following the departure of several big names such as Mark Wright, Mick’s son, Kirk Norcross and Amy Childs.

But last week pictures emerged of the two former lovers looking very cosy as they danced the night away together, and were even seen sneaking out together in the early hours.

However, Mick has revealed to Entertainmentwise, at the premier of the Expendables 2, that they are ‘only friends’.

He said: “Nothing (happened). She’s my friend. Nothing went on at all.”

This claim was then backed up by the two mystery women who were accompanying him down the red carpet.

The star’s claims that nothing is going on between them was backed up by two gorgeous ladies who were accompanying him down the red carpet.

Poor Maria!

The Only Way Is Essex can be seen Sunday and Wednesday nights at 10pm on ITV2/ITV2 HD.