When we speak, the 33-year-old admits she’s spending the day having a bath, changing her bed sheets and eating and sleeping in her Essex home. Who doesn’t love a chill day?
“I go through a phase where I’m right on it and I do my walks and workouts and be really good. And I’ll go through days where I don’t give a f**k,” she jokes with me. “I just want to eat and eat and eat. It’s boredom, isn’t it? I keep picking at things – things I wouldn’t normally eat.”
The Essex girl is currently single after a string of serious relationships, most famously with fellow former TOWIE star Mark Wright, who is now married to actress Michelle Keegan. She later dated bad boys Jake McLean and Joey Morrisson.
Lauren tells me she’s ready to have a new man in her life and already has “100 dates lined up” for when we’re allowed to mingle again. Nice work!
“Obviously I do fancy good-looking men, but I don’t know what my type is,” she says. “I’ve had bad boys and I talk to footballers, but I really don’t know. After isolation I want to get a boyfriend.” Go on, girl!
Here, Lozza talks returning to the show where she found fame and what she’s looking for in a man. She also tells how she’s loving her side-hustle being a beautician…
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Hi Lauren! Are you feeling you’re in a good place?
I am – I don’t know why. In isolation I’ve got so many guys asking me out and I’ve got about 100 dates lined up after this. I’m loving life and I’m getting lots of attention. I’ve got a lot more time on my hands to respond and talk to people and normally I don’t really bother. I’m actually enjoying it, even though I’m chatting to guys as mates. It’s nice. But I feel really confident at the minute.
And so you should! What would you say your type is now?
I don’t even know any more. Back in the day, it was a very pretty-boy type. I’ve still got that in me. I used to be so obsessed with looks, but now I’m actually getting attracted to people who aren’t that good-looking but who have a sexy personality.
What would your ideal first date be?
I’m not really a dater and I’m quite shy. I’ve always got into a relationship straight away and I’ve never really had a break. And I’ve not met them by going on a date. My first boyfriend was at school, my second one I met at a mutual friend’s event during TOWIE filming, the other one was a really strange relationship looking back – don’t even ask why I did that! So I haven’t really had proper dates. I did Celebs Go Dating [in 2019] which was a TV show and not really real dates. With me, I like to have a cocktail, somewhere not too loud, and a bit of food. Anything where I can have a couple of drinks.
Have you been boozing in lockdown?
Everyone likes a drink now and again, but a lot of people are drinking heavily. I haven’t, but I’ve been tipsy three or four times. I’m on FaceTime to all my mates and it’s so fun – it’s like we’re having a party in our own houses.
FaceTime is the new going out…
It’s dangerous drinking indoors, because you get more drunk than if you’re going out. But towards the end I’m really going to detox and cleanse and get back into a routine. I want to come out feeling good and not lethargic.
We met on TOWIE and you left in 2012. How do you look back at your time on the show?
It was the most amazing, crazy thing I ever did. Some people go on it as a bit of a jokey character and in the mix of other people’s drama, but when I was on it the whole f**king show was about my relationship and my life. I was one of the girls who used to have a laugh and created some amazing TV gold. Some of things that happened on the show were crazy and so entertaining. Sometimes it was really hard and sometimes it was really good. I’ll never regret it. It’s where I started, so I’ll always have that love in my heart for TOWIE.
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Do you have any stand-out favourite moments from the show?
Do you know what, that’s so hard, because so much happened it’s really hard for me to answer. I’m always asked about the past, but memories such as the engagement party are good because it was the first time my mum and dad were in the same room – ever! It was the weirdest thing for me. People turned up to that party who I hadn’t seen for years, so it wasn’t just about my engagement. It was beautiful the support my family showed at the time. It’s not like that now – I hardly bloody see them! And I made some really good friends on there and have had success from it.
How has TOWIE changed your life?
I worked in the City and did beauty and hair when I was really young. Before the show I always went to Faces. I was always in the VIP area in London clubs and I was in with a lot of people. There were a lot of footballers and glamour models and celebrities who I was mates with anyway, so that side never really changed. It was more the fact I was known and I was in the papers and that was what was weird. I was getting other TV jobs and I was on the front page of magazines every week and was getting paid for a completely different lifestyle and job. My job was photoshoots, interviews and endorsements. That’s what was crazy and I’m grateful for it.
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Do you enjoy the fame game, hun?
It’s hit and miss. I wouldn’t say it’s easy – we both get stick for different reasons, but it’s still the same hate. People don’t realise that it’s not an easy ride and it’s very hard to come into the public eye from reality. I’d rather be a singer or an actress, because they can’t hate on you as much personally. With me, I don’t know what’s next. The jobs come in, but you don’t really know where you stand, whereas with an actor, footballer or a singer you’re looking forward to that next game, that next job. We definitely have it harder.
The lines are blurred…
It’s so hard to explain, but I’m not knocking it. Some days you do think, “I wish I was just a normal girl again,” but then others you think, “Oh my God, I’m going to this amazing event. I’m so grateful!” It’s so up and down, but that’s life with everyone’s job.
For me, the good outweighs any negativity…
One hundred per cent. With haters, the amazing thing is it means you’re successful and people know you. Rock stars say, “I wouldn’t be anywhere without the haters.” You need them to be successful. You have to fail in order to learn and that’s the only way of growing. If everyone was up your...