Reality TV star Lauren Pope required dental treatment after her teeth were damaged during a random physical assault while she was on holiday in Marbella. Pope, a regular cast member with reality show The Only Way Is Essex, was in the country to film the ninth season of the TV programme, which airs on ITV2.
While Lauren and her friends were enjoying a relaxing night out with fellow cast members James ‘Diags’ Bennewith, Joey Essex, and Chloe Simms, a man tried to start an argument with the group. Lauren told the Daily Star ‘Diags went in to get our coats. I was waiting with Chloe and Joey when some guy started throwing food at us. We asked him what he was doing and he came over and started laughing. I told him to go away and he punched me in the face.’
30-year-old Lauren was left with a broken veneer and a bruised mouth, she added ‘My tongue is swollen and black because I bit it when smacked me.’ She had the veneer replaced but fears that the emotional scars will not heal as quickly, saying ‘It’s scary… you have no idea what people are capable of.’
No cameras were present to capture the assault and Lauren decided not to press charges.