Former TOWIE star Joey Essex is filming a new one-off documentary on the effects of his mother's suicide while he was a child.

The 30-year-old was just 10 when his mother Tina took her own life, a traumatic ordeal that he has recently admitted left him with trust issues.

According to The Sun, the BBC Three doc - Joey Essex: Who Am I? - will feature footage of Essex opening up about the incident in psychotherapy sessions as he attempts to come to terms with his past.

"This documentary is really close to my heart. Going on this journey to find the real me will be a personal challenge," he said of the programme.

"But I hope it also highlights how important it is that other people who have experienced trauma know that they're not alone."

A BBC spokesperson elaborated: "Behind the picture-perfect exterior is a man whose life and identity are in turmoil. Like so many kids affected by sudden trauma, he learnt to hide his true feelings behind a series of 'masks' - the joker, the charmer and the TV heartthrob.

"Joey's found it increasingly difficult to drop the act and truly be himself. He realises that it's now time to confront his trauma."

Joey Essex: Who Am I? will be released on BBC Three later this year.