An episode of The Only Way Is Essex filmed on the north Norfolk coast is set to air tonight at 9pm - with a hotel owner behind the camera.

Filming saw stars stay in the Dial House hotel in Reepham and head to the beach for fish and chips from No1 Cromer.

Hannah Springham, who co-owns the hotel with her husband and also directs the ITVBe show, has revealed the group "loved" the area.

Dereham Times: Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell enjoys a drink at the Dial House in Reepham.Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell enjoys a drink at the Dial House in Reepham. (Image: Dial House)

She said: "We had an empty hotel and I was filming the series and I just thought our hotel would be amazing for TOWIE because the rooms are all so fancy.

"Obviously it was also a great opportunity for our business to have people like that coming to stay because they've all got loads of followers and they loved it.

"They had a ball and it was a lot of fun, they are brilliant people, I feel quite protective of them because they get a lot of stick on social media and actually they're young, ambitious and they're making money, so why shouldn't they?

Dereham Times: Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham.Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham. (Image: Dial House)

"They're really fun to be around, on the whole they were really well behaved and good as gold to work with."

Mrs Springham added that the show had provided a "massive boost" in bookings, adding: "It's a great kick-off as we reopen again in a week's time for about the 90th time."

She said the filming was also a "weird" experience as no one from the show had visited the Dial House and her husband had never seen her directing.

Dereham Times: Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham.Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham. (Image: Dial House)

Mrs Springham added: "It's so weird, it's a really unusual thing, I've never done something like that before.

"Also my husband never really gets to see me direct because he's the chef and it's normally all about him because he's running the kitchen.

"So it was quite funny for him to see me running the place as a director.

Dereham Times: Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham.Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham. (Image: Dial House)

Dereham Times: Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in ReephamStars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham (Image: Dial House)

"It was a really odd thing, but an incredible opportunity, I'm just so pleased they came, it was amazing."

Without any spoilers, she hinted tonight's episode could be very lively: "What I would say without spoiling it for people, is that it's a really good episode and I'm just glad we didn't have any other customers in the hotel, because they were quite loud."

Dereham Times: James 'Diags' Bennewith in a bath at the Dial House in Reepham.James 'Diags' Bennewith in a bath at the Dial House in Reepham. (Image: Dial House)

Dereham Times: Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in ReephamStars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham (Image: Dial House)

Dereham Times: Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham.Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film at the Dial House in Reepham. (Image: Dial House)

Dereham Times: Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film on the north Norfolk coast.Stars and crew of the Only Way Is Essex film on the north Norfolk coast. (Image: Dial House)