Mario Falcone is back on TOWIE after drug shame, but says his wild partying days are behind him

Mario Falcone has announced that he’s back on* TOWIE* after he was a very naughty boy, and got suspended when a video of him snorting cocaine emerged.

Mario’s been filming with the rest of the Essex gang in Ibiza this week, but has said despite all the temptation that comes with partying on the White Isle, the 26-year-old has put his drug-taking days behind him.

He told The Sun: “Obviously I will go out with the boys and get drunk but that’s it, that’s as far as it goes now. I think it’s just growing up.”

Asked what he would do if he got offered drugs while clubbing, he said: “I will just turn a blind eye.

“I wouldn’t respond to it. It’s a beautiful island but it is famously known as being a partying island.”

Mario — who has previously admitted to suffering from depression — said the scandal earlier this year had been a massive wake-up call to him.

He said: “The industry we are in and the age I am, you do things that are out of character and very immature and that is part of growing up.

“It wasn’t a dark place or anything like I have been in the past, it was just stupidity. A lesson learned.

“In life you get sent these things and you can either let it break you or it can make you stronger.

“I believe it has made me stronger, so onwards and upwards.”

Despite the fact it wasn’t his choice to take time out from TOWIE, Mario says he’s glad he got to take a break because he was starting to get bored of working on the reality show.

“It was a needed break I think. I have been doing the show for three years and I think my attitude had become a bit lacklustre.

“I had become a bit arrogant with it all. I think I needed a reminder that I am very fortunate to be in the position I am in,” he explained.

“I am very lucky to be part of the show. So it has helped a lot.

“I have got more energy towards it. I have done a lot on the show — I have been engaged, broke up with my girl after two years.

“So yeah, it was easy to all of a sudden feel resentful.

“Now I am excited. Especially being in Ibiza, we have never done this on the show before.

” Mario said that he was also preparing to once again become the show’s villain.

“I think the show needs a bad boy.

“I have grown up a lot but at the same time I still love women. And I’m still single.

“Me and Tom (Pearce) are the only single ones so we are going to form an alliance and just go out all the time.

“I am really looking forward to that.”

Watch out ladies!

(No seriously… watch out.)