Ferne McCann has confirmed the next series of her long-running reality TV series will be her last – days after former co-star Billie Shepherd walked away from her own fly-on-the-wall show.
McCann, best known for her regular appearances on The Only Way Is Essex with Shepherd, has documented her journey from pregnancy and single parenthood to engaged mother-of-two in ITVBe shows First Time Mum and, more recently, My Family And Me.
But the TV personality, 34, is ready to pull the plug after making the ‘difficult decision’ with businessman fiancé Lorri Haines and six-year old daughter Sunday, her child with former partner Arthur Collins.
Confirming the news with Instagram followers, she wrote: ‘After an incredible 13 series I have made the very difficult decision that this series of @fernemyfamandme will be my last.
‘Where do I begin? Firstly by saying a huge, huge thank you to each one of you that have watched my show and been on our family journey with us.
Ferne McCann has confirmed the next series of her long-running reality TV series will be her last (pictured with son Finty and daughter Sunday, who appear with their mother on the show)
The TV personality McCann has documented her journey from pregnancy and single parenthood to engaged mother-of-two in ITVBe shows First Time Mum and My Family And Me
‘This show has been such an incredible part of my life for the last seven years and what a ride it has been filming from being pregnant with Sunday to now. Your support and loyalty to me and my family has, at times, lifted me more than you will ever know. Thank you.’
McCann, who is also a parent to 14-month old son Finty with Haines, added: ‘From the day I started filming I have poured my heart and soul in to the series. I genuinely feel like I’ve laughed, cried, loved and lived with you, sharing all the ups and downs.
‘This decision hasn’t been an easy one, but it feels like now is the right time for a change.
‘I made this decision with my children (especially Sunday who has been on this full journey with me) in mind. They are my absolute priority and Sunday is now at an age where she is very much her own little person and I want her to go out there and take her own path.
‘I am eternally grateful to every single person who has watched the show, supported us and been there through it all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.’
The couple, who regularly share intimate details of their family life on their hit show, have packed up the series to ‘let their children grow up away from cameras’.
Billie, 34, and Greg, 39, who share three children Nelly, 10, Arthur, seven, and Margot, 21 months, have grown up on reality TV since birth.
Their oldest daughter Nelly made her television debut on The Only Way Is Essex in 2014 when she was weeks old.
McCann shared a handful of behind-the-scenes photos and video while confirming the news with Instagram followers on Sunday
The shared images included a shot taken on the day businessman fiancé Lorri Haines proposed
Taking to Instagram, McCann confirmed she is ready to pull the plug after making the ‘difficult decision’ with businessman fiancé Haines and her daughter
Similarly to Nelly, Arthur first appeared on screens shortly after he was born when Billie and sister Sam had their joint series The Mummy Diaries.
A source told The Sun, ‘Billie has loved her time on the show and had loads of fun, but thinks it’s time she let her kids grow up away from the cameras for a bit.
‘She adores the memories she has made and will treasure them forever, she’s so grateful to the production company, but is excited about exploring new options with ITV.
‘There is no bad blood and the sky is the limit.’
An ITV spokesman said: ‘We are currently in production with a new series of The Family Diaries to air on ITVX and ITVBe later this year and are in conversations with Billie about projects for 2025.’
MailOnline have contacted Shepherd’s representatives for a comment.
The feud between former close pals Ferne and Billie is said to have ’caused havoc’ for event organisers at the National Television Awards this week.
The ex-TOWIE stars, both 34, have been at odds since voice notes were leaked of Ferne calling Billie’s sister Sam Faiers, 33, a ‘fat c***’ on social media in 2022.
Ferne and Billie grew up together in Essex and have known each other for more than 20 years, during which time they enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame on reality TV show The Only Way Is Essex, before appearing in their own respective shows.
Despite Ferne previously apologising and admitting she was ‘ashamed and embarrassed’ of her words, Billie still doesn’t speak to her former pal.
According to The Sun, the fallout is still fresh for the duo, as the NTA‘s had to juggle plans to make sure they were separated, despite both working for ITV.
The admission comes after Shepherd and her husband Greg reportedly quit their own ITV show, The Family Diaries, after six series’
The couple, who regularly share intimate details of their family life on their hit show, have packed up the series to ‘let their children grow up away from cameras’
In an exclusive interview with MailOnline in May, Billie and Greg shared how they manage to keep their children ‘grounded’ after growing up in the limelight.
Billie said: ‘Obviously for us, you know, we always film and the kids have always filmed. They don’t really know much different.
‘I think unless there’s like something like a concern, like, you know, if Nelly comes to me and said anything she was worried about.
‘Obviously, the children are always our number one priority in their happiness. But I think we’re very good at keeping them grounded.’
She added: ‘They are kids at the end of the day, I think, you know, Nelly is such a funny, happy little character, so like, personable.
‘She’s always been used to having like, lots of people around her. And I think that it will only be like, positive for her and her future.
‘That was always something I I’ve always thought about like, “Oh, would she be treated differently? Or would she, you know, comes to face with anything” but honestly, like we’ve had none of that.
‘We’ve had no dramas at school or nothing. We would know it straight away, because Nelly tells us everything. She’s very open with us. And we’ve luckily, like, we’ve been lucky not to experience anything like that.’