Reality television personality Joey Essex is set to appear in the new ITV challenge show 'The Box,' where he anticipates viewers will see a different side of him. "I'd like to say people will see the smart version of Joey Essex for the first time on this show," Essex stated, acknowledging that "the not-smart version" is also likely to appear. The 36-year-old, whose birth name is Joey Don Essex, rose to fame on 'The Only Way Is Essex' approximately 15 years ago.
Essex, who has participated in numerous reality and quiz shows, has built a public persona often characterized as charming but intellectually challenged. Despite this perception, he has launched his own clothing and fragrance lines and reportedly holds a net worth exceeding £8 million. He claims an inability to tell time, a difficulty that was highlighted during his appearance on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' in 2013. "If I had a watch on I could give it a go, but when the hands are wonky, there’s a bit of confusion," he explained.
This perceived intellectual deficit is partly attributed to severe dyslexia, which affected his early education. "I'm extremely dyslexic," Essex said. "I was the only student in my school to have a lady sitting next to me in all my classes, telling me what to do. I used to cry because I couldn’t do what I was being asked to do."
His childhood was marked by tragedy when his mother, Tina Essex, died by suicide at the age of 37. "Sadly, she then passed away. Three months later, I was turning up at school without a mum in my life," he recalled. At the time, he found it difficult to discuss his grief, influenced by a family environment where discussing emotions was not common. "Back then, there was not really help you could get," Essex said. "All my family members were men. Men don’t talk about their feelings and they don’t want to open up."
Essex has since become an ambassador for Child Bereavement UK and underwent therapy during the making of the 2021 BBC documentary 'Joey Essex: Grief And Me.' He mentioned that his high school provided support, but the period was emotionally challenging. Despite his academic struggles, he found enjoyment in drama classes and even pursued acting school three years ago, though he did not complete the course. He is, however, set to make his acting debut in an upcoming short film directed by Geoff Bell.
In addition to his television work, Essex has pursued boxing, training at a gym frequented by professional boxers. He participated in a boxing match last year, defeating Portuguese influencer Numeiro, and has expressed interest in fighting Tommy Fury. "Tommy Fury said in a recent post he reckons he’d do me easy. I don’t know about that," Essex commented.
His recent appearance on 'Love Island' in 2024 led to some viewer criticism, with some perceiving his behavior as petulant. Essex attributed this to the challenges of being the first celebrity contestant, navigating jealousies among other islanders and his own romantic entanglements. He stated, "I put myself in a difficult position. I’m not blaming anyone. I had a good time, personally. I made big headlines."
Regarding his personal life, Essex expressed a desire to settle down and have children but emphasized the importance of finding the right partner. "I’d love to. I’d love to have children. That's what I want next in life. But I don’t want to rush into that unless it's right," he said. He described his current relationship status as being "in a good place."
Essex also addressed the reported collapse of his company, Joey Essex Management Ltd, with debts of £1.2 million. He acknowledged the situation, stating, "Yeah," when asked about the company being liquidated. His home, listed for £2.75 million, is reportedly still on the market, though he indicated he would only sell if satisfied with the offer, emphasizing his attachment to the property he worked hard to acquire.
Essex will be competing in 'The Box,' which features contestants in shipping container-like pods facing various physical, mental, and courage-testing challenges. The show is scheduled to launch on ITV1 and ITVX on Saturday, September 5, with the second episode airing on Sunday, September 6.