Lauren Goodger 'overwhelmed' as single mum with difficult realisation
Lauren Goodger says she's 'rebuilding' herself with the support of her 'TOWIE family' – but a source claims her TV role is taking its toll elsewhere in her life. The reality star, 38, who first appeared on The Only Way Is Essex as the ex-girlfriend of Mark Wright in its first series in 2010, returned to the set as a permanent cast member last year after experiencing some devastating personal losses.
But according to our source, while the high-profile gig is doing wonders for Lauren's confidence, the reality of juggling her life as mum to a four-year-old daughter with the demands of a job on a prominent reality show is 'overwhelming' at times.
Lauren was 'gutted' to pull out of a planned promotional appearance on This Morning last week because she couldn't arrange childcare for Larose, whose father is builder Charles Drury. Instead, the interview featured fan favourite Harry Derbidge in the studio and fellow TOWIE original Amy Childs via video link. It comes after Katie Price reaches out to Harvey's lookalike half-brother but fears 'he's too scared'.
READ MORE: Andy Carroll 'splits from Lou Teasdale due to her demands' weeks after public row
'Lauren was devastated to miss This Morning last week because she's really trying to get back out there with her career,' our source claimed. 'She doesn't think it looks good to miss things, but she also needs to be the best mum to Larose. She really hates letting people down but also doesn't want to feel like she's a bad mum if she leaves her daughter – especially after everything they've been through.'
Lauren has been vocal about her struggles with anxiety since her and Charles's second daughter, Lorena, died in July 2022, just a few minutes after her birth. The tragic loss came only a week after Lauren's ex-boyfriend, Jake McLean, died in a car crash on holiday in Turkey at the age of 33.
Just before her big TOWIE return last year, Lauren revealed she was 'realising who I am again' after spending the last few years in a 'mum bubble' as she learned to navigate her grief.
Larose was born in July 2021 after Lauren became pregnant early into her relationship with Charles, 28, and the pair are widely thought to have had an on-off relationship ever since. Rumours they had reunited circulated when the two were photographed with Larose at an airport last month, reportedly jetting off on a family holiday.
Regardless of her relationship status – Lauren has yet to publicly confirm or deny that they are back together – our source said she's struggling to find a healthy balance when solo parenting.
'Lauren is overwhelmed – she's overwhelmed with mum duties and with work,' said the source. 'It's so hard to find that balance of taking care of Larose and also making sure she stays healthy and happy herself. TOWIE is her main job so it has to be a priority, but she'd never put it before being a mum to Larose, so it's a really difficult balance for her to find.'
Lauren spoke out earlier this summer before jetting off to Portugal – without Larose – to film for the hit ITV2 programme. She revealed it was the first time she'd left her daughter 'to go away or do anything for me' and had been kept awake most of the night by doubts about going on the trip.
The reality star also confessed that she felt 'lonely', but had to stay strong all the time for the sake of her daughter. 'I haven't got anyone to lean on and that's really sad,' she said.
The sun-soaked trip to Portugal, where the cast celebrated 15 years of the series, clearly did wonders for Lauren's confidence, however. Sharing a sunset snap of herself with her 945,000 Instagram followers, she wrote, 'What a rollercoaster but an amazing achievement for me personally. Here's to rebuilding me. Thank you @itvxofficial @towie thank you whole of TOWIE production and my TOWIE family.'
But it hasn't all been plain sailing for Lauren since visiting Portugal in June, as she revealed to her followers last week that she was feeling 'absolutely shattered'.
'I'm so tired, I don't know how I'm doing it at the minute,' she said. 'It has been absolutely hectic.'
Lauren put her exhaustion down to Larose's six-week summer holidays and travelling back and forth to London to film, adding, 'I'm going to do bath, do bedtime and do work again. I haven't stopped working. I wish I could have a nap but never. You know how it is being a mum.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
2 hours ago
- Times
Fern Britton: ‘Tony Blair borrowed my make-up'
Fern Britton, 68, was born in Ealing, west London. Her mother was a teacher and her father, Tony, an actor. She started out as a local newsreader in Plymouth before moving to daytime television and presenting This Morning with Phillip Schofield. She has four grown-up children: two sons and a daughter with her first husband, Clive Jones, a TV executive, and another daughter with her second husband, the chef Phil Vickery, from whom she split in 2020. She has written 11 novels and lives in Cornwall. I grew up in a big house with an orchard in Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire. My father chose the area as it was close to Pinewood Studios. Except he never lived in the house because he'd already decided on his next wife. My mum must have been in a terrible state. But for me it was like, this is how life is.
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
TOWIE's Sammy Root breaks down in tears as he confronts Love Island's Elma Pazar in first meeting since their split
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SAMMY Root was left breaking down in tears as he came face-to-face with Elma Pazar for the first time since their shock break-up. The exes came face-to-face as The Only Way Is Essex headed abroad for the launch of the new series. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Sammy Root broke down in tears as he opened up to Elma Pazar Credit: ITV 5 He was left sobbing as he struggled to cope in the aftermath Credit: ITV It saw Sammy confront Elma about the ending of their relationship as it became clear that he was struggling in the aftermath of the break-up. It saw the Essex lad, 24, pour his heart out to 33-year-old Elma about how things came to an end between the pair. During the emotional conversation, Elma confessed that things had come to an end between them on text message but Sammy was left confused by her messages. In the heart-to-heart, Sammy confessed to Ella: "I don't think you realised how much I did, and still do, like you. "I would have done anything. "One of my favourite things to do is take the person you love out and have a fun date night, that's what I love to do." As emotions ran high, Elma could be seen sobbing as she dabbed her eyes with a napkin. Addressing his issues with her, Sammy said to her: "You didn't ever say it was done in the text so I didn't know what was going on." Elma replied: "I said, 'it was a shame...'." Sammy then said: "Yeah, you said 'it was a shame' so in my head, I'm like, does that mean it's done? Watch the moment TOWIE stars come to blows and are pulled off each other in explosive showdown "They were coming from you and you know what you felt like but I'm reading those messages and I'm thinking, 'right?'. "I didn't know it was done and I never saw you again until we saw each other at the airport and you were like, 'why are you being awkward', and that's why." As Sammy insisted that the messages from Elma weren't clear, he could be seen on the verge of tears as he turned away from the cameras. Taking a big breath, he insisted he "needed a minute" before he broke down into floods of tears. Speaking through tears, he added: "Anyone that knows me knows that I am not an emotional person and so it's like when I do get like this... I don't know what to f***ing do." He concluded that he didn't know "how to cope" in the aftermath of the break-up as Elma agreed to give him time to let him come to terms with his emotions following their chat. She revealed that she didn't want him to not be a part of her life to which he agreed but it was clear that he needed some time away to process his feelings. 5 He poured his heart out to Elma Credit: ITV 5 Elma was left overwhelmed during the chat Credit: ITV
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Watch the moment TOWIE stars come to blows and are pulled off each other in explosive showdown
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Only Way is Essex cast found themselves locked in an almighty group row as they headed to Portugal for the first episode of the new series. Just hours into their first day, a huge row erupted between the cast which led to a number of the stars being held back as the confrontation went a step too far. 7 A huge row kicked off on TOWIE Credit: ITV 7 Sophie Kasaei and Freddie Bentley were inches away from each other's faces Credit: ITV 7 The clash quickly escalated Credit: ITV The drama appeared to be caused over Freddie Bentley and Ella Rae Wise's disdain for certain members of the group failing to support her during her stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house earlier this year. Freddie had sent a group chat message to encourage the cast to post in support of Ella in order to conjure up votes for her stay in the famous house. But with many of them choosing not to, it left a sour taste in Ella and her best pal Freddie's mouths. The main targets of the pair's frustrations appeared to be Jordan Brook and his Geordie Shore star girlfriend, Sophie Kasaei. As Freddie and Ella spoke about the situation, Jordan could overhear them and soon attempted to get involved by moving closer. Tensions began to reach boiling point as Freddie ranted at Jordan. Jordan insisted that his loyalty to Ella's ex Dan Edgar had prevented him from supporting Ella. Ella soon made a reference to Sophie by saying that she would not be happy if Jordan went "on a bender" - implying that's what Dan had done. As Sophie joked back that she wouldn't care, Ella hit back: "Yeah, because you are desperate!" Clearly wound-up, Jordan insisted "don't call my bird desperate" as Ella attempted to walk off. Towie's Dani Imbert speaks for first time about snogging two Love Island boys in one night - after BOTH lads are dumped for cheating Ella and Sophie then began to scream at each other from across the pool as they clashed over Ella's remarks as she insisted Sophie was old and irrelevant. Things were only just beginning as Freddie branded Jordan the problem, leading to a three-way confrontation between him and the loved-up couple. Freddie said: "You all deserve this - you deserve to be told about yourselves." Turning to Sophie, he added: "If you don't care, then go away then! 7 Freddie Bentley appeared to be led away by security as Junaid Ahmed appeared Credit: ITV 7 The face-off occurred just moments into the group trip Credit: ITV "Don't stand there and try and speak to me!" Sophie then got very close to Freddie's face as he barked back at her: "What are you gonna do about it - you f*** off!" Stepping in, Jordan then came into Freddie's face and then launched his body at his co-star to push him out of the way. As Freddie stumbled, Jordan appeared to take another lunge at him as Freddie asked: "Who are you pushing?" The cameras then appeared to cut to a group setting as the scuffle could be heard contiuning out of sight. It seemed other cast members had got involved as a security guard's arm could be seen holding Freddie back as Junaid Ahmed also appeared to be escorted away from the scene. Sophie later ranted that they were "so rude" to her face as Jordan bluntly remarked: "Yeah I nearly chinned Freddie but I'm alright." 7 Sophie slammed Ella in an explosive rant Credit: ITV
