James 'Arg' Argent has been suspended from 'The Only Way is Essex'.
The 26-year-old reality star was reprimanded by producers for his constant partying and poor time keeping, but after continuing to turn up late, he was suspended indefinitely last Thursday and warned he could be axed permanently if he doesn't change his ways.
A spokesperson confirmed Arg - who sparked a police incident in August when he failed to arrive at Gatwick airport for a work-related flight - will not appear in this week's show.
Friends are hoping the punishment will be a stark wake-up call for the star.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "He's been living in the fast lane for the past four years and the airport incident was worrying.
"He needs to get back on track otherwise he'll be out of a job."
Following the airport incident, Arg claimed he went to the wrong airport by mistake, had no battery on his mobile phone and he had fallen asleep in a nearby hotel.
He said: "I woke up and went on Twitter. All I saw was, 'Pray for Arg'. I thought, 'Why are they praying for me?' It's embarrassing."