Joey Essex becomes first celerity ‘bombshell’ to enter ‘Love Island’

Joey Essex is the first celerity ‘bombshell’ to enter ‘Love Island’.

The former ‘The Only Way is Essex’ regular, 33, says he has become so desperate to find love he put himself forward to appear on the ITV dating show.

Joey – who entered the programme at the end of Monday (03.06.24) night’s episode – told The Sun about how series bosses launched a “military operation” to keep his arrival in the series secret: “I feel like Joey Bond, ‘the names Essex, Joey Essex. It felt like a military operation, not even the journey itself but the process of even getting through the application process and to this point.

“I got on the plane to Ibiza, I made sure I still wore my mask when I went out for dinner, and then we got the boat over to Majorca to a villa hidden in the mountains in the middle of nowhere.

“I’m extremely single right now, so I’m praying that I’m going to walk out of the villa hand in hand with the love of my life, that’s my main aim and all I care about.

“It’s difficult for me to meet girls on the outside as they judge me based on a persona so I think this experience will allow for people to see the real me.”

He added about his quest for love: “I just want someone to like me for me and now from what they see on TV.

“This is exactly why I’m going into the villa because you’re disconnected from the rest of the world and can focus on what actually matters on a far deeper level.”

Since ‘TOWIE’, Joey has racked up TV appearances on panel shows and on reality shows from ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ to ‘Dancing on Ice’.

He was previously engaged to Sam Faiers, 33, on ‘TOWIE’ before he quit the show after they split.

Joey has also dated ‘The Hills’ regular Stephanie Pratt, 38, with his most recent romance with his ‘Dancing on Ice’ skating partner Vanessa Bauer, 28, in 2023.

A day after Vanessa confirmed that they were dating, MailOnline confirmed that they had gone their separate ways.