Why isn’t Jamie Laing on Made in Chelsea? His absence explained

Get ready for more tears, revelations, champagne and drama as Made in Chelsea returns to our screens for its 21st series tonight on E4.

It’s the reality show’s 10th anniversary this year, and there promises to be just as much romance and tension between the SW3 socialites as ever.

Fans needn’t worry that the COVID-19 pandemic affected filming (or their partying, for that matter) as, for the first part of this series, the friends, lovers and exes left their familiar stomping grounds in Chelsea and holed up (in a bubble, of course) under one roof in a rural Cotswolds estate.

But one person who is noticeably missing from the Made in Chelsea cast, however, is Jamie Laing.

Here's everything we know.

Why isn’t Jamie on Made in Chelsea?

Made in Chelsea gave 31-year-old Jamie Laing his big break a decade ago but, back in October 2020, he confirmed he was quitting the series.

After having to withdraw from Strictly Come Dancing in 2019 due to a foot injury, Jamie returned to the series for the 2020 competition and decided to take a break from Made in Chelsea halfway through the last season so he could concentrate on his dance training.

It was definitely worthwhile, as he made it all the way to the final of Strictly with his dance partner Karen Hauer, although they lost out on that Glitterball trophy to winners Bill Bailey and his partner Oti Mabuse.

While Jamie hasn’t said he will never return to Made in Chelsea in the future, it’s looking less likely at the moment as he has other projects lined up.

To begin with, he's landed a presenting role on the new BBC Three dating and dancing series I Like The Way You Move, in which professional dancers and non-dancers compete to find love.

Jamie is the matchmaker teamed with dance professional Kaelynn ‘KK’ Harris who, along with a weekly guest judge, will decide which dance couples have the most chemistry and can therefore stay in the competition for another week. Filming this spring, the series will air later this year.
Jamie's girlfriend, Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo, is still part of the Made in Chelsea cast, however, so we may still get some references to him in the new series.
Made in Chelseas series 21 starts on E4 on Monday, 29th March at 9pm. Check out the rest of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.