The Towie “Curse” Revisited After Two Former Stars Die Weeks Apart In Eerily Similar Tragedies
The Only Way Is Essex has spent more than 16 years giving viewers a front-row seat to the glamour, drama and heartbreak of Brentwood’s reality TV elite. But the ITVBe series has once again been overshadowed by tragedy following the deaths of two former cast members within weeks of each other.
Former Towie star Jake Hall, 35, was found dead at a luxury villa in Majorca after reportedly falling through a glass door. According to reports, Jake had been partying on the Spanish island before he was discovered in a pool of blood at the property.
His death came just weeks after fellow former Towie cast member Jordan Wright, 33, was found dead in mysterious circumstances in Thailand. Jordan, who was from Basildon in Essex, was discovered face down in a drainage canal in Phuket on March 14.
The two tragedies have drawn attention because of their unsettling similarities. Both men died overseas, both deaths remain surrounded by unanswered questions, and both had appeared to be seeking a fresh start before their lives were cut short.
Spanish investigators are treating Jake’s death as an accident, with police stating there are currently no signs that it was the result of a criminal act. Officers questioned several people who were at the villa, while a post-mortem examination is expected to take place in Palma.
In Jordan’s case, CCTV footage reportedly showed him behaving erratically outside a hotel before running from the complex shortly before his body was found. Thai police have said witnesses described him as being in an “out of control” state.
Both men had shared haunting final glimpses of their lives on social media. Hours before his death, Jake posted a reflective Instagram message about trying to “remember the good things”, alongside footage of art, Spanish scenery and fashion. Jordan, meanwhile, had recently posted about his new life in Thailand, captioning one update: “I’m home.”
Jake first rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex in 2015. In later years, he faced personal and professional difficulties, including the loss of his fashion brand Prévu and legal issues involving his former partner Missé Beqiri, with whom he shared a young daughter.
Jordan appeared on Ex On The Beach in 2017 before joining Towie in 2018. Before finding fame, he worked as a firefighter and later returned to the profession. He had previously spoken about feeling deeply unfulfilled by life in television.
Their deaths have revived discussion around what some fans have called the “Towie curse”, following a series of struggles and tragedies involving past cast members. In 2021, former Towie star and Sugar Hut owner Mick Norcross died by suicide at the age of 57.
Other former cast members have also spoken openly about personal battles after reality TV fame. James Argent, one of the show’s best-known stars, has previously discussed his cocaine addiction and said he nearly died from overdoses at home.
While there is no suggestion the show itself is responsible for the hardships faced by its former stars, the latest deaths have once again raised questions about the pressures of sudden fame, public scrutiny and life after reality television. For fans of Towie, the losses of Jake Hall and Jordan Wright mark another deeply painful chapter in the programme’s history.
