FOUR passengers were forced to abandon their easyJet flight Southend to Malaga on Saturday after it was grounded for being 200kg over the weight limit.

The flight, which was carrying several Towie cast members and their luggage, was delayed by more than 30 minutes as the pilot waited for passengers to leave the plane.

Towie cast members James Argent, Lauren Pope, Grace Andrews, Fran Parman, Bobby Cole Norris and Jasmin Walia, were all on board, heading to Marbella for a holiday to be filmed for the ITV2 show.

The captain, after explaining that the plane was overweight and could not take off until the excess 200kg had been shed, appealed to passengers for volunteers to leave the flight.

After 30minutes, four women volunteered and were given £100 and put in a taxi to Luton Airport to catch another easyJet flight.

A spokesman for easyJet said: “Like all airlines, easyJet’s flights have weight restrictions based on a number of different variables for safety reasons.

“If a flight does exceed its weight limit, we ask for passengers to volunteer to transfer to another flight, which is what happened on this occasion.

“The safety and welfare of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority.”

Towie cast member Bobby’s suitcase was reportedly 4kg overweight. Fellow reality star Jasmin told Heat magazine she was not getting off the plane.

She said: “There was no way we’re doing it for £100, it’s such an inconvenience.”

The group of reality stars were photographed arriving in Malaga, looking forward to their holiday, with one Facebook group sticking up for the stars, saying they were innocent bystanders in the farce.

JustIn Essex said: “Don’t think Towie cast had any special treatment. Lauren Pope checked in behind my parents and she only had one small case, which surprised me.”