More than 400 people descended on a South Woodford bar hoping to party with the cast of ITV2’s hit show The Only Way Is Essex.

Clubbers paying at least �15 for a ticket to Deuces, in Chigwell Road on Saturday night were promised the chance to party into the early hours and meet the entire cast.

Deuces is run by the show’s love rat Mark Wright, who hosted the night. On the bar’s website, punters were told: “The night will feature the cast from the upcoming series plus a host of celebrities.”

The Recorder went to the launch night, and most stars failed to show, with only promoter Mark Wright, James Argent and Lydia Bright appearing.

Opened in October 2010 and described by Mr Wright as “lavish”, the club boasted velvet seating areas and diamonds set in the bar’s surface.

The stars were kept tucked away from lunging female fans in a secure section, where they were joined by Jade Goody’s widower Jack Tweed.

A string of photographers lined the street waiting to capture any action from the new-found stars, a far cry from their humble beginnings witnessed by the Recorder at the launch of Essex Fashion Week in Faces, Gants Hill last October.

In the space of five months, the turbulent lives of the reality TV stars have made them tabloid newspaper favourites.

The club was granted a one-off late night license for the launch evening, allowing them to extend openeing hours from 1am to 2.30am.

Tickets for one table, seating up to eight people cost between �1,000 and �500.

A hoard of women waited outside the cordoned off area to catch a glimpse of the cast members. A second series of the show started on ITV2 yesterday evening, the channel today confirmed viewing figures reached 1.1million.