Dan Edgar admits he’s caught between two exes on Towie as he reveals truth about Chloe romance & ‘flirting’ with Ella

THERE was a time when Dan Edgar and Ella Rae Wise couldn’t be in the same postcode without a row breaking out on TOWIE’s cameras, with things coming to a head last series when Courtney Green accused him of “flirting” with his ex during their trip to Vietnam. But a lot can change in a few months. Now, in a new chat with The Sun, Dan, 36, has revealed the truth about what’s really going on between him and Ella these days – and opened up on where things stand with his other ex-turned-girlfriend, Chloe Lewis. Dan told the Sun how he and Ella Rae Wise have gone from explosive rows on Towie to finding a way to peacefully share the same friendship circle Credit: Raw Image Ltd Dan has rekindled his romance with former Towie star Chloe Lewis, more than a decade after the pair first shared a secret kiss Credit: Instagram/tonicterrace When TOWIE jetted off to Albania for the latest series, Dan admits he wasn’t exactly looking forward to it – fearing a repeat of the drama that engulfed him and Ella in Vietnam. He explained: “I had a few concerns when we were going to Albania thinking, ‘Oh, no, will it be like the last trip?’ I was weighing up the whole thing – was it a good idea to go through it all again?” But he says the reality couldn’t have been more different, with the pair’s dynamic transformed by an unlikely friendship circle. The star continued: “Originally we were going to avoid each other – in Vietnam, that’s how we left it. And then a few months have passed, Junaid (Ahmed), James (‘Diags’ Bennewith) and Jodie (Wells) are in a bit of a friendship with Ella, so they’re really good friends. Naturally, she’s around Jodie a lot, so the dynamic of the group has changed a bit.” With Jodie dating his best friend James ‘Diags’ Bennewith, Dan says he made a conscious decision to keep the peace once he realised how close Ella had become with his own inner circle. He said: “By the time we’ve gone to Albania, James and Jodie were around Ella a lot, and naturally, when we were out there, I wasn’t going to cause a problem, so I just said, ‘Look, if things are going be fine, I don’t mind doing this…'” The Vietnam row began after Ella claimed Dan was getting flirty with her around the pool, prompting an explosive reaction from Courtney – who is close to Chloe Lewis, Dan’s girlfriend. She branded them disrespectful over their behaviour on the trip. But Dan insists both he and Ella went into this series with a completely different mindset. He said: “The dynamic between me and Ella… we both approached that trip with a different attitude. Vietnam did bring up a lot for both of us. I think we both approached it with a completely different mindset, with a lot more mindfulness to the situation for everyone involved.” He added: “It makes it easier, if she’s going to be friends with Jodie, Jodie’s dating my best friend, then it’s got to work. It’s still a strange scenario. We managed and dealt with it, both of us would probably prefer it amicable while also keeping the whole thing respectful for everyone involved. It was a lot better.” Surprisingly, Dan told how there was never even a direct conversation between him and Ella clearing the air – they simply fell back into an unspoken understanding. Explaining the situation, Dan said: “It wasn’t even a conversation me and El needed to have. We just knew from the past how things had to be, and she obviously said everything she needed to say to me. It was just, ‘Well, we’ll just leave it there, and we’ll get on with things the best we can.'” As for Courtney, Dan revealed the pair did briefly clear the air off camera after her explosive accusation in Vietnam. He told us: “Briefly at the end of Vietnam, off camera, she apologised for causing such a big thing for me and was saying she didn’t mean it in that way. I didn’t agree with the way she dealt with it in a big group scenario, in front of people, but it’s done now. I don’t hold grudges with anyone, in life, for long.” The cast’s friendship groups have shifted dramatically in recent years, something Dan admits still catches him off guard – not least his changing relationship with Junaid, who was once part of a completely different chapter of his TOWIE life. He said: “I would never have said, in a million years, that I’d be doing scenes with Junaid and Joe, but now, James has become closer to them through Jodie. “I have, over the years, laughed about it, because Junaid was friends with my ex Amber (Turner) back in the day, and he was always a lot back then, and I always wanted to avoid the drama, and not be around him. “So we’ve come a long way and now we’re in group situations together and they’re alright. I don’t mind them. We’re sort of making it work.” With his social circle now made up of two very different camps – each containing a former girlfriend – Dan admits navigating the group dynamic is a constant balancing act. He explained: “It’s obviously bringing up new things, new hurdles. For me, it’s a catch 22. I’ve got one half of the cast, which consists of one group which has one of my ex-girlfriends (Amber) in. And then I’ve got another half of the cast, which is my close mate, and I’ve got another ex-girlfriend in that… Take your pick. There is no ideal scenario for me with either group.” Despite the complicated web of exes and friendship groups, Dan is adamant things are heading in the right direction for everyone involved – including Ella – and says he’s learning to embrace the group’s new normal rather than fight it. He said: “The group I’ve formed in recent months… James, Jodie, Joe, Junaid, if Els is in and around that… Of course, at home, we’re not going to be hanging about together all the time, but when we’re abroad if that is a situation, we’ve just got to make that work. “Getting through new scenarios and situations each time, I suppose, is the hardest part of it, but it seems to be going in a good direction, a positive direction for everyone involved.” He added: “Ella seems in a better place than she was in Vietnam and her life’s going in a good direction and same for me – it’s working out for the better as far as I can see.” Dan revealed how he and close pal Diags have remained friends despite finding themselves in increasingly different Towie friendship circles Credit: diags_/Instagram His new flame Chloe Lewis was left heartbroken following the tragic death of her first love and former Towie star Jake Hall earlier this year Credit: Instagram/ @chloelewis91 Elsewhere, close pal James ‘Diags’ Bennewith is set to pop the question to other half Jodie soon – but don’t expect Dan to be pulling any strings behind the scenes. He said: “I don’t think I’ll be too involved in it, so I’ll leave that one to him, to be honest. The boys are good stuff. They’re obviously taking Jodie in as a friend and giving her a little group down here, which James loves. We went to the engagement, it was a nice day.” But while there’s plenty of happy news in the TOWIE camp, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the cast this year. Dan’s former co-star Jordan Brook recently welcomed his first baby with partner Sophie Kasaei – but the arrival came just months after Jordan was rushed to hospital with a terrifying health scare, later revealing he’d been diagnosed with viral meningitis and encephalitis. He spent 22 days receiving round-the-clock care. Dan is delighted to report he’s back on top form. He said: “Jordan’s all good, he’s back to obviously loving life with the baby and everything. Every time I speak to him, he’s just buzzing about the baby, so I’m really happy for him. They were waiting for a long time and you can tell they’re both over the moon.” Away from his co-stars’ dramas, Dan’s own love life is in a much more settled place these days too. It comes a year after Dan rekindled his romance with fellow TOWIE favourite Chloe Lewis – a decade on from their first flirtation on the show, when the pair shared a secret kiss before Chloe had even joined the cast. Their reunion was sparked after the pair crossed paths again at the Majorca wedding of their close friends and co-stars Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet, before everything changed for Chloe when her first love and former TOWIE star Jake Hall tragically died earlier this year. Insiders previously told The Sun how Dan became Chloe’s “rock” through her darkest days. Our source explained: “This relationship is different from anything they have ever had before and they have made a huge effort to keep it between themselves. Dan’s former Towie co-star Jordan Brook spent 22 days in hospital after being diagnosed with viral meningitis and encephalitis Credit: Instagram Dan says he is now feeling happier and more settled as he focuses on his relationship with Chloe, his career and growing his brand Credit: David Fisher “Chloe has been through an incredible amount of heartache – first splitting from the father of her son and then losing Jake, and it’s taken her a long time to let herself believe she could ever be happy again and allow herself to be fully present in the relationship.” Now, Dan confirms things between them couldn’t be better. He said: “Things are going in the right direction with Chloe, we’re in a good place and work stuff’s going well. I feel like I’m in a good place with everything.” As for what’s next, Dan says he’s ready for a break from jet-setting after a hectic year of filming abroad. He said: “I was away quite a lot at the start of the year – Vietnam, Albania. I’m going to stay here for a few months, keep my head down, keep focusing on growing the brand, maybe go away at the end of the summer.” TOWIE airs on Sunday and Monday every week on ITV2 & ITVX