Love Island Fans Have Controversial Theory About Joey Essex & Grace Jackson

17 June 2024, 16:48 | Updated: 18 June 2024, 09:43

Love Island’s bombshells have turned the villa on its head, especially with the arrival of Joey Essex’s ex Grace Jackson.

Love Island 2024 has been a whirlwind since episode one and the introduction of Joey Essex, as the first celebrity bombshell on the show, showcasing his new look.

The TOWIE star immediately stole islander Samantha Kenny from Sam Taylor and since then, the pair have been together but fans haven't been so sure about how he's felt about her.

Now two weeks paired up in the villa is a long time in ‘Love Island time’ but fans haven’t seen that much progression in the couple’s relationship and rumours have been swirling for a few days now.

• Read more: Love Island's Ronnie Vint Has Been Compared To These Past Islanders
• Read more: What Happened Between Grace Jackson And Joey Essex?

With the introduction of Joey’s ex Grace Jackson as another bombshell in the villa, fans have taken to the internet to share their theories about the pair. One of which seems the most popular by far.

Did Joey Essex and Grace Jackson plan to be on Love Island together?

The main theory online, especially on Reddit is that both Joey and Grace were still in contact in the months leading up to his entrance in the Love Island villa and they planned to be together.

After Grace revealed she and Joey had messaged just a couple of months before the show, viewers were convinced that they both knew the other was entering the villa.

“Joey probably knew for months he was gonna be in the villa and like others have said, he's a celebrity so he's definitely got a contract for the show,” one commenter wrote, alluding that if Joey was still talking to Grace two months prior to the show, he almost definitely already knew he was entering the villa by then.

One commenter wrote in the thread, “It definitely seems like Joey always knew she was coming in… It’s very likely they spoke prior to the season starting and he was just waiting for her to show up this entire time.”

However, fans seem to think their timeline is a little all over the place, with Joey claiming they haven’t spoken in over a year and Grace saying they chatted mere months before the show.

With a little detective work, fans found the pair coincidentally seemed to have a ‘couple costume’ for Halloween in 2023. Joey dressed as the Joker and posted his outfit on Instagram in a solo picture and Grace did the same in her Harley Quinn costume.

If the pair were in couple costumes for Halloween that means as of October/November 2023 the pair were still together, just 8 months ago.

The Reddit commenter goes on to say, “You can see his whole demeanour change once she entered the villa. It also explains why he didn’t really give any of the other girls the time of day.”

It’s true, Joey hasn’t bothered to get to know any other girls in the villa except Samantha, and even with Samantha, fans have noticed he’s kept her at arm’s length.

He revealed early on in the show that he was a very touchy person, but Samantha hasn’t seen that side of him, as a fan noted, “That's why he never really kissed Samantha because he was waiting for her [Grace] to come in.”Another viewer seemed to agree as they replied, “It definitely explains why he treated Samantha like a literal placeholder.”

Even fans of the show on X (formerly known as Twitter) seem to be questioning the authenticity of Joey’s surprise at Grace’s entrance, with one tweeting, “Joey & Grace casually ‘rekindling’ things like girl we ain’t thick. they defo planned this on the outside #LoveIsland”.

Another agreed, writing “I'm telling u they planned this beforehand.”

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