Joey Essex (born 29 July 1990 in Southwark, London) grew up in Chigwell, Essex, and attended West Hatch High School. He was raised by his father after the early death of his mother and has one older sister; his family and local community in Essex shaped his formative years and public persona.
Essex first came to national attention as a reality-television personality, most notably on ITV’s long-running series The Only Way Is Essex. Over the following decade he broadened his profile through a mixture of entertainment appearances, reality formats and business ventures, building a platform that later supported his move into competitive sport.
In 2025 Essex transitioned into boxing, undertaking an extended period of dedicated training and announcing his professional debut for the Misfits Boxing “Ring of Thrones” card at Manchester Arena on 30 August 2025. He is scheduled to face Portuguese influencer Numeiro on the undercard, a debut described by promoters and press as his first official bout after prior plans were postponed in 2024. Essex has cited a family connection to boxing as part of his motivation and has committed to continuing in the ring beyond this event.