Love Island shocks as TOWIE’s Joey Essex enters the villa as the first celebrity bombshell

Love Island viewers were sent into a frenzy when former TOWIE star Joey Essex, 33, made a surprise appearance on the show.

Joey was revealed as the first Bombshell of the new summer series during the premiere episode, marking a first for the popular reality show. While past islanders such as Adam Collard and Kady McDermott have returned to the villa for another chance to find love on national TV, Joey is the first well-known celebrity to join the show as a contestant.

This unexpected addition to Love Island is no stranger to our screens, having featured in numerous reality shows around the world since his debut on The Only Way is Essex in 2011. Over the years, as well as making up his catchphrase ‘reem’ on TOWIE, from 2011 to 2013. , Joey had a stint in the jungle for the 13th series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

In 2013, he won Channel 4’s The Jump, tried his hand at Celebs Go Dating twice, appeared on Celebrity Ex on the Beach, was pushed to the limit on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, prepared storming Celebrity MasterChef and making waves in the first series of Splash!

More recently, Joey – who was once engaged to TOWIE co-star Sam Faiers – battled the Australian jungle in series 8 of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, securing a respectable sixth place. . Fast forward to 2023 and he’s worked his way to becoming the runner-up in the 15th series of ‘Dancing on Ice’.

Joey Essex is set to turn up the heat in the Love Island villa with the arrival of his bombshell, as teased in the cliffhanger from tonight’s series opener. The reality TV personality stunned fans with her buzzcut and memorable entrance.

Social media was buzzing immediately after the reveal, with one fan joking on Twitter: “Joey Essex came in like a bomb on love island wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card #loveIsland” after his surprise appearance. The official Love Island account also sparked excitement by posting Joey’s picture with the caption: ‘The only way is… Essex. The #LoveIsland villa just got a little more ‘reem’ when Joey Essex arrived to find his wife-to-be.”

The chatter on Twitter didn’t stop there, with one user remarking on the unusual situation: “I DON’T KNOW WHICH IS WEIRD, JOEY ESSEX IS ON LOVE ISLAND OR HIM 33 YEARS OLD,” while another expressed his displeasure: “Why would they bring Joey Essex just destroys the dynamic every year by bringing in a ‘celeb”. However, some viewers were delighted by the twist, with one tweeting: “Okay Joey Essex has gone into a GAG and a half #loveisland.”

Earlier in the year, Joey Essex certainly attracted attention when he debuted his new look on Instagram, sparking rumors of a potential move abroad. The 33-year-old, who is related to TOWIE star Chloe Sims, has been spotted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on several occasions, leading to speculation he could make Dubai his new home.

Talks of Joey considering a move to Dubai have surfaced since last April. There were suggestions that he was looking for a plush pad in the luxury city that would allow for easy trips between the UK and the UAE.

His ubiquitous Instagram uploads painted a picture of Dubai evolving beyond a typical holiday spot; it seemed to turn into a second “home” for the TV star, as illustrated by countless photos capturing his time there. However, April marked his return home to the UK after a long globe-trotting spell, including a stint in the US where his cousins ​​Chloe, Charlie, Demi and Frankie Sims were filming their reality series.

During a previous getaway in California, Joey revealed a dramatically different look – a sharp cut, which won quick likes from his legion of Instagram followers. She frequently uploaded photos showing off her updated look, captioning a selfie in February with the evocative caption: “My dreams reach a world that doesn’t exist, but anyway see you soon.”

Joey’s fresh look drew a flood of praise from his followers. One admirer boasted: “The best I’ve ever seen you look.” A fellow fan echoed those sentiments by remarking, “I look good chick.” Most of the fan reaction to Joey was positive, with comments like “Love the buzz cut” and another supporter said: “It suits (you).”

Lateysha Grace, a partner of Joey’s, showed her support for his new haircut, exclaiming: “Joey, short hair suits you so much!” It was clear that his followers were very passionate about the fresh hairstyle.