Joey Essex's Ex-Girlfriend Warns Love Island Girls He's 'Sweet' But 'Ruthless'

13 June 2024, 10:39

Love Island’s Joey Essex’s ex-girlfriend Amy Willerton from I’m A Celebrity, has spoken out about the truth of her relationship with the TOWIE star after the show.

Joey Essex’s entrance into the Love Island 2024 villa not only dropped the jaws of the new cast but also had viewers at home squealing from their couches at his new look.

After stealing Samantha Kenny from right under Sam Taylor’s nose, Joey has been accused of biding his time, with fans believing he might not share as strong feelings for the scouser as she does for him.

The reality star’s career began on TOWIE in 2011 and he’s hit almost every mainstream British reality show since, from Dancing on Ice, Celebrity Masterchef, Celebrity SAS, Celebs Go Dating to I’m A Celebrity where he began dating costar Amy Willerton after leaving the show.

• Read more: Who Is Joey Essex's Sister? Get To Know Frankie Essex Including Her Children & Boyfriend
• Read more: Is Joey Essex's Ex Girlfriend Going Into Love Island & Who Is She?

But Amy has recently spoken out about the truth behind her relationship with Joey outside of the jungle and it wasn’t as glamorous as it was made to seem.

Both Amy and Joey were inseparable in the jungle as they were constantly seen flirting with one another and acting ‘coupley’, so it was no surprise when the pair revealed they were seeing one another after the show ended.

However, in an interview with the tabloids, Amy has now claimed that Joey “changed” after filming ended for the reality show.

To the public, the pair’s romance fizzled within weeks of leaving the jungle, however, Amy alleges people close to Joey approached the pair to continue a fake relationship, aka a ‘showmance,’ for publicity.

“In hindsight, if I'd been less naïve, then having some kind of relationship would have been good for my career,” Amy said in the interview, “I wanted to have something real.”

“I didn't want to play the game. I wasn't up for the whole playing pretend couple, that was a bit too far for me.”

According to an interview she did with OK! in 2014, Amy claimed at the time it was just the pressure of the high-profile relationship that got to her.

"Before we left, it felt very boy-meets-girl, but reality hit and suddenly there was all this pressure on us," she said. “It felt like if we were going to be together, we had to be committed to the relationship because we'd be presented to the world as the Joey and Amy show."

She went on to say "I want a real, normal relationship where everything happens naturally and you are just allowed to be," which now has a deeper meaning in the present day if what she claimed was true.

However, currently, Amy seemed to hold no bad blood for the TOWIE star as she reacted to the news he had entered the villa on Love Island, she said to the tabloids, “I'm sure he'll have fun. He's a sweet guy, but I learnt that he is quite ruthless when it comes to his career."

"I hope he really is ready to meet someone. He'd be a loving partner, but only when he is ready.”

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