TOWIE welcomes new cast member (From Epsom Guardian)

TOWIE welcomes new cast member

12:48pm Tuesday 15th May 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Lydia Bright is welcoming a good pal to the cast of The Only Way Is Essex.

Danni Park-Dempsey, who is a good friend of bakery boss Lydia and her mum Debbie, is joining the ITV2 show, the Sun reports, and will be the first non-white cast member.

Danni has just started filming scenes for the show, which has returned to our screens for a fifth series, and received a good luck tweet from Debbie on her first day.

"It's your time now. Let the show begin," wrote Debbie.

A show source told the paper that Danni is being introduced to the show as a friend of the Brights.

They said: "Danni is being brought in because she is bubbly, friendly and opinionated, not because of the colour of her skin.

"She is good pals with Lydia and Debbie and will be introduced this way. She has already filmed scenes and can't wait to do more."

Some fans joked about the previous lack of diversity on the series, with one writing online: "What do you mean there are no non-white folk on the show? There aren't even white folk on the show - they're all orange."