Joey Essex caused quite a stir when he entered the Love Island villa to shake things up. Despite claiming that he wasn’t given any special treatment due to his celebrity status, recent revelations suggest otherwise. It has come to light that Joey was actually promised a spot in the final before even joining the show. This left him feeling furious when he and his partner Jessy Potts were voted off the show just before the finale.
Sources close to the show have disclosed that Joey was given preferential treatment, including spending two to three hours a day with producers away from the cameras. There were even reports that he was given flowers by the production team to apologize to eventual winner Mimii Ngulube after a heated argument during a challenge. However, ITV has denied these claims, stating that all islanders are treated equally.
Although Joey wasn’t paid an appearance fee for being on the show, he is set to earn a substantial amount from a club tour following his Love Island stint. Even with his reported net worth of £8 million, the opportunity to earn £250,000 post-show is significant. Despite this, viewers couldn’t help but notice Joey’s displeasure during the final episode, where he missed out on making it to the end with Jessy.
During his time on the show, Joey faced criticism for his behavior, being labeled as ‘arrogant’ and ‘problematic’. His clash with former contestant Samantha Kenny even sparked complaints to Ofcom. As the first celebrity to join the show, producers went to great lengths to keep Joey’s entrance a secret, having him travel by ferry instead of flying with the other contestants.
In the end, Mimii Ngulube and Josh Oyinsan made history by becoming the first black couple to win Love Island since the show’s reboot in 2015. They secured the £50,000 prize after receiving the highest percentage of the public vote. The couple beat out Nicole Samuel and Ciaran Davies, who finished as the runners-up in the final. Matilda Draper and Sean Stone came in third place, while Jessica Spencer and Ayo Odukoya landed in fourth.
The victory of Mimii and Josh marked a significant moment in Love Island history, showcasing diversity and representation on the popular reality show. Despite the controversies surrounding Joey Essex’s stint on the show, the focus ultimately shifted to celebrating the groundbreaking win of the deserving couple.