The Only Way Is Essex star Lewis Bloor has denied conspiring to defraud investors in an alleged £3 million diamond scam.

The 29-year-old appeared at Southwark Crown Court today to deny one charge of conspiracy to defraud investors by “dishonestly” marketing and selling coloured diamonds, knowing they did not represent a legitimate investment opportunity.

Bloor, who joined the cast of the ITV2 show in 2013 for three years, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth during the short hearing.

Wearing a navy blue blazer and trousers, he sat in the dock with his co-defendants Joseph Jordan, 26, from Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, George Walters, 27, from Beckenham, in Kent, Max Potter, 22 , of

Enfield, Middlesex, and Nathan Wilson, 25, of Brentwood, who all also denied conspiracy to defraud.

Simon Akbari, 25, from Loughton, did not enter a plea to the same charge.

Another co-defendant, 52-year-old Danny Chappell, of Bexleyheath, Kent, denied a charge of seeking money for completing renovation works which had not been undertaken, which is alleged to have taken place on May 31 2014.

A hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last month heard there were some 50 victims of the alleged fraud, while the amount of money lost was “in excess” of £3 million.

It is alleged that the conspiracy took place between May 17, 2013 and June 19, 2014.

Bloor, of Buckhurst Hill, and the co-defendants were released on unconditional bail. The trial has been adjourned to the week of September 1, 2020.