Joey Essex confesses the real reason he applied for Love Island
Joey Essex has admitted that he applied for Love Island!
At the end of last night’s premiere episode of the hit ITV show, host Maya Jama revealed that reality star Joey Essex is the first bombshell of the series.
Joey’s arrival – after previously appearing on the likes of The Only Way Is Essex, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Celebs Go Dating – marks the first time that Love Island has cast a celebrity.
However, ahead of his first episode tonight, the 33-year-old has confessed that he wasn’t approached by Love Island producers, but that he actually applied himself.
Speaking to The Sun ahead of his reveal, Joey explained the real reason why he wants to enter the Love Island villa.
“I just want someone to like me for me and now from what they see on TV. This is exactly why I’m going into the villa because you’re disconnected from the rest of the world and can focus on what actually matters on a far deeper level,” he detailed.
Joey, who is also the oldest contestant that the reality dating show has ever had, went on to note that he is “extremely single right now”.
“I’m praying that I’m going to walk out of the villa hand in hand with the love of my life, that’s my main aim and all I care about. It’s difficult for me to meet girls on the outside as they judge me based on a persona, so I think this experience will allow for people to see the real me,” he continued.
Joey also revealed that it was difficult to keep his Love Island arrival under wraps.
”It felt like a military operation. I got on the plane to Ibiza, I made sure I still wore my mask when I went out for dinner, and then we got the boat over to Majorca to a villa hidden in the mountains in the middle of nowhere,” he exclaimed.
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2.
