Love Island star Joey Essex has responded to fans who have been sceptical about his relationship with Jessy Potts following the couple’s elimination.
Joey and Jessy were the latest Islanders to be dumped from the villa, with the TOWIE star hitting back at critics after their exit.
“I understand some people might be sceptical considering how my earlier connections in the villa ended up but ultimately the show is about finding a true connection and the best connection possible and that’s what I did,” Joey said of his time on the show.
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While he didn’t expect to win, Joey also praised his connection to Jessy and hoped the public picked up on their genuine bond.
“I said during the compatibility vote that I had expected Jessy and I would get votes, so no it didn’t really come as a surprise, and I never expected to win the show,” he said.
“Jessy totally took me by surprise, and I fancied her straight away. I could tell we had an instant connection and she was a bit of me.
“We had something that was quite strong, and hopefully proved that to people by sticking with each other throughout Casa [Amor] and right up to the end.”
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For her part, Jessy said she doesn’t regret her time in the villa as she’s found what she was looking for in Joey.
“Not a single regret, everything happens for a reason and I loved every single second,” she said. “I stayed true to myself from the offset, I could only ever be myself and the tests Joey and I went through brought us even closer together.
“We are in such a good place and I found exactly what I went into the villa looking for.”
Love Island airs on ITV2 and streams on ITVX.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).