Reality TV star Joey Essex has entered the Love Island villa as the show's first ever celebrity contestant. The 33-year-old, who rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex , has said he is taking part in the show because he is "extremely single right now" and hopes to leave the island "hand in hand with the love of my life". The ITV dating series returned on Monday, introducing more contestants to the villa in Majorca, Spain, with host Maya Jama making an entrance in a white dress.
Jama told the contestants: "Well it's good to see you're all settled in, as you know you are in Love Island, you must always expect the unexpected. "So please welcome Joey." The TV personality said he was "the king of Essex" who wanted to find his "queen".
ITV says he is the show's "first celebrity contestant". Reality TV stars charged over promoting unauthorised investment scheme on Instagram BAFTA TV Awards red carpet 2024: All the best looks from the nominees and VIP celebrities Love Island star Georgia Steel on the impact of trolling: 'I felt like everyone hated me - it made me feel like I didn't know myself' Essex chose to apply to be on the show himself before ITV bosses worked hard to keep his involvement a secret, according to The Sun. Speaking exclusively to the newspaper before flying out to the villa, Essex said: "I feel like Joey Bond, 'the name's Essex, Joey Essex'.
It felt like a military operation, not even the journey itself but the process of even getting through the application process.
