Joey Essex has ‘no regrets about playing pantomime villain’ on Love Island

What did you miss?

Joey Essex has admitted he knew he had to be the “pantomime villain” on Love Island, but has no regrets about the way he behaved in the villa.

The TOWIE star was a contestant on the latest series of the ITV2 dating show, where he got through three different partners and rowed with various other Islanders before finally leaving in a couple with Jessy Potts.

Essex also told This Morning that he was going to be taking a “huge break” from reality TV after having taken part in almost every show available.

What, how, and why?

Joey Essex became the contestant Love Island viewers loved to hate despite arriving as the villa’s first ever celebrity Bombshell.

The former TOWIE star caused controversy by swapping between three different partners, arguing with his ex-girlfriend Grace Jackson and falling out with many of the other Islanders over revealing a “secret mission”.

But when he appeared on Thursday’s This Morning with partner Jessy Potts, Essex admitted that he knew he needed to play the role of pantomime villain and had no regrets over it.

He said: “Everyone is encouraged to pot stir, the difference with me is that I don’t hesitate, I just do what I need to do and I know what the producers want. With the other Islanders, people don’t want to go out there and upset people and I respect that, but the difference with me with 13 years experience, I know what to do and that’s what I did.”

Essex added: “I have no regrets, you know what it’s like, there is an edit and I played the pantomime villain. I did what I had to do, I did enjoy it, I had so much fun. That’s what I went in there to do, just to have fun and find love. I came out and I’ve got Jessy, we’ve got each other.”

But the interview got off to a slightly awkward start when host Josie Gibson asked why he had signed up to Love Island, and his initial reasons did not seem to include finding love.

He said: “I just love the show and it was something that I wanted to tick off my bucket list. When the opportunity got given I said 100%. I was well up for it.”

Gibson prompted him: “Were you looking to find love?” and he hastily added: “Me going in the villa, that was my main aim to find love, also have fun on the way. I went in there, that’s exactly what I did…Love is in the air.”

Host Craig Doyle asked the couple: “It’s in the air, it hasn’t landed fully…?” and they replied: “We are exclusive.”

What else did Joey Essex say?

Love Island was the latest in a long line of reality TV shows that Essex has starred in, beginning with The Only Way Is Essex where he first found fame.

Since then, Essex has also appeared on Splash!, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, The Jump, Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity Ex On The Beach, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, All Star Shore and Dancing On Ice, amongst other shows.

But he revealed that for the moment, his reality TV days are over as he has no plans to do Strictly Come Dancing, just about the only programme missing from his CV.

He confirmed: “I’m taking a huge break. I feel like I’ve done every reality show possible – I don’t think I’d really want to do Strictly. I’m just taking a break and I’ve got some opportunities over in America.”

This Morning airs on ITV1 at 10am on weekdays.

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