Love Island followers have been left “genuinely shocked” after it was revealed that the primary bombshell of the brand new sequence was The Solely Approach is Essex veteran star Joey Essex.
Joey, 33, made his actuality TV debut again in 2011 and was identified for his tagline “reem” whereas showing on the present that adopted the drama-filled lives of a bunch of younger individuals dwelling in Brentwood.
Joey walked into the Mallorcan villa declaring that he’s searching for a queen to assist rule Essex with him, whereas a put up from the Love Island Twitter/X account mentioned he’s seeking to discover a spouse.
Whereas the Islanders look happy to be within the presence of the superstar, Joey’s casting has been met with combined reactions from viewers – since he’s the first-ever superstar to compete on the present, which breaks away from the normal format of getting regular individuals, or lesser-known influencers, be a part of as contestants.
Some viewers branded the fact star “unrecognisable” having not seen him on display screen for a number of years. Joey appeared on the present buzzcut, which differs from his signature quiff viewers noticed him donning throughout his peak fame whereas on TOWIE.
Viewers remarked they needed to “double test that it was truly him” when host Maya Jama launched Joey to the Islanders, whereas others mentioned they thought Joey was Ron Corridor, who was a finalist of season 9 of the fact present.
“A buzz minimize Joey Essex on Love Island was not in my bingo card for 2024,” mentioned one fan.
Others had been important of the choice to solid an already-established superstar on the present.
“[Love Island] simply confirmed as soon as once more that it’s simply individuals who want to assist their platforms,” mentioned one viewer, as one other added: “It may be time to finish the present fully – bringing in Joey Essex just about defeats the aim of the present.”
One other fan branded the choice to solid Joey a “huge mistake” as a result of the remainder of the contestants will likely be starstruck by him “sucking as much as him as he’s well-known”.
Within the first episode of the sequence, Jama launched a number of twists that break free from previous seasons. As an alternative of getting to line up and determine who they fancied right away, the Islanders got the prospect to mingle and get to know one another somewhat earlier than enjoying a sport, which noticed the women rank the boys so as of who seems to be essentially the most like boyfriend materials, and vice-versa.
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Jama then revealed that the Islanders had been coupled up primarily based on how they’re ranked.
In The Unbiased’s evaluate of the opening evening of sequence 11, critic Rachel McGrath questioned whether or not the producers’ modifications will likely be sufficient to maintain Love Island feeling recent and related in 2024.
“On the peak of its recognition in 2019, the sun-soaked sequence pulled in a mean of greater than 5 million viewers, and three.6 million of us tuned in to see Amber Gill topped winner, simply weeks after struggling one of many present’s most painful Casa Amor dumpings (Michael “Chaldish” Griffiths has nonetheless not been forgiven).”
“What made that sequence so compelling was how actual it felt,” mentioned McGrath, but additionally questioned whether or not Joey is definitely searching for love or not “doesn’t matter”.
“Is the perma-tanned king of reem actually searching for love? Possibly it doesn’t matter in spite of everything. So long as the drama retains coming,” McGrath concluded.
