�Two of the Brentwood-based stars of hit TV show The Only Way is Essex have hit back against claims that they don’t really represent the area.

Father and son duo Michael and Kirk Norcross, who run Sugar Hut, High Street, told the Recorder this week that they are bringing benefits to the town and county.

Michael, the club’s owner, said: “I know what I’m doing for this town and the amount of people I’m bringing to it.

“It’s not just the nightlife, there’s the people that go into the nail bars and the clothes shops, the taxis and the restaurants before they come here.

“It’s great for the economy, without a shadow of a doubt. So I hope that’s seen by other people.”

Kirk said: “We are all from Essex, so this is Essex. It’s not acting. It’s not like they’ve got people from America and said ‘right act like you think Essex is’.

“We are really Essex people so what you’re watching is Essex.”

Scenes from the show are filmed repeatedly, but are based on what’s really going on in the lives of the characters, they say.

Kirk, who was in his club filming in a video for R&B singer Ny when the Recorder spoke to him, added: “It has put Essex and Brentwood on the map and I’m proud to say that I’m part of doing that.

“Instead of reading something like ‘The Prime Minister put this area on the map’ we’ve done it – just six kids. We’ve put it on the map by doing what we do normally.”

n The video for Ny featuring Kirk will be available at www.nyofficial.co.uk.