What the fuck producers?

Makes sense that you’d add a celebrity, in a show meant for ‘ordinary people’, and it’s especially bad that someone like Joey Essex is allowed on when he has years of experience on reality TV, giving him a massive advantage over everyone else

Agree. I find it very unethical and painfully obvious that it was manufactured. And every time Joey tried to force a conversation with Samantha or tell Grace to go in the hideaway it became even more gross.

Joey telling Samantha he's still interested in her felt like BS to me. It felt like producers were encouraging him to drag it out. She was shutting him down and he's been making out with Grace, why on earth would he be whining about wanting to get to know them both?

The one good thing is Samantha isn't biting. She seems to realize exactly what's going on. She's obviously hurt and embarrassed, but she's smart to cut things off.

Didn’t mind at first (Joey being there), as was taking it that he’s basically a plant to move on storylines etc., but it’s now feeling like it’s turning into the Grace and Joey show, and I’m not enjoying it as their scenes just don’t feel like Love Island. They feel too self aware like Ex on the Beach or something. This season has felt more ‘real’ again and they feel the opposite of that. I don’t doubt they have chemistry but it somehow feels boring to see.

Also agree, no wonder Samantha feels like she’s been made a tit of. Regardless of what we thought of their relationship, you can see from Unseen Bits they were getting on well and spending time together. She was crying out for validation and physical affection and someone’s come in, who she considers more physically attractive (although genuinely I wish she’d see that’s subjective and that she’s gorgeous) and Joey’s is all over her while being condescending to Sam.

It all seems prearranged to me, but whether it is or isn’t, toying with Sam like that is really going to affect her self esteem. Joey may be hardened to it all (although to be fair has never really faced public backlash or negative opinions) but Sam isn’t.

Omg I just came here to comment. I saw Sam on Mitch’s snap and they fucking dump him after 48 hours for Joey Essex?wtf!!I saw Sam’s personality more and he seems like a good bloke.. I wish he had more of a chance 🤔

They need to get Joey out of there he’s ruining the season.

i hate seeing samantha feel so shit about herself, you can tell she has very little self confidence. im not her biggest fan but honestly i feel really sorry for her at this point. feels cruel

I’m kinda hoping since these two were obviously together before the show they just leave in the next few episodes and that was the plan all along

It was acceptable when it was just him, but adding his ex girlfriend in, just gives me 1980 pervy old guy power dynamic that is giving me the creeps. Justice for Samantha.

Very calculated and completely manufactured. The general audience has picked up on it as well.

Yeah bringing Joey Essex in serves no purpose other than a stunt. It’s not working and is making love island feel incredibly unnatural. No one is really vibing it just seems forced. Poor Samantha is being used as a pawn by producers. Luckily she sensed it but it’s still humiliating. She deserves better so do the other normal contestants.

What was particularly galling was the Aftersun panel going hard on her, in service of Joey’s heroic arc (🤢). I don’t listen to the podcast, but are the hosts there also castigating Sam and propping up the “fun” of the Joey/Grace plot? Thats where you can really see a certain kind of cruelty from production, to try to shape the narrative about the characters (and the idea of Sam as some sort of crazed fan) through their official mouthpieces.

I'm actually mortified for her. I bet she is going through every scenario with Joey in her head now and absolutely berating herself over how she could be this naive and not to have listened to the instincts that she did have – but this is where the dynamics of having a celebrity in there skew things – and she was a big Towie fan and HE picked her. Yeah you could say she was silly but no more than any islander. I honestly feel they've humiliated her and especially by playing on that narrative to mock her on Aftersun too. Did Maya partake in that too actually?

Like don't get me wrong i've never been under the illusion that LI producers care an awful lot about the contestants but this seems another level.

I get bringing in an ex-Islander like Adam or Kady, but Joey was such a bad idea!

Yeah nah I stopped watching 2 days ago now it’s made me lose interest in watching. Just going to be seeing what’s happening on this sub and Twitter now.

Anyone else getting Black Mirror vibes from LI

For all the “Joey has been on so many reality tv shows he has an advantage” he’s really amateurish. He’s not playing this well AT ALL. He really is a dumb as a box of frogs if he thinks his reputation will not be untarnished. Unless the next thing he appears on is “Joey Essex: Love Island to Loser”

That was probably the worst episode of LI I've ever seen. Absolutely awful tv

Can we get rid of Joey and his false rekindled relationship with Grace please so fake. The worst thing the producers did this year was adding joey.

yup this past episode just left an awful taste in my mouth. did they really need to bring in joey essex and his supermodel girlfriend and make a poor girl feel shit about herself. i prefer the original LI format, none of this celebrity shit. it’s even cringe the fact joey came on this tbh after all his other stints 😅

We have a STRONG OG Cast for the first time in a long while and we don’t need Joey, the cast carry the drama themselves this season

Every decision can be broken down to money and viewership. The producers job is to create drama, excitement and intrigue, unfortunately at the detriment of the contestants. It would be an incredibly boring show if all the couples from day 1 stayed the same. Sadly, people’s wellbeing and mental health is not a priority. Samantha is the unfortunate collateral damage for the show to remain in the spotlight

I really felt bad for her but honestly HOW she didn’t see that coming!!!!!!! The guy didn’t even give her an innocent peck, absolutely NOTHING for two whole weeks. She should’ve confronted him or explored others instead of acting like an old married couple who have been together for 40 years!

True, you can literally see her sitting with herself and going through every scenario in her head! It's gut wrenching to watch her feel so small and used!

There was absolutely nothing between Joey and Sam. Nothing ruined there. They have done them both a favour.

I think it’s a bit cruel that they put Joey in, knowing he knows how to work reality TV. He could have picked any of the girls, and he would have messed about with them. He knows how to create drama and I think that’s exactly what he’s doing. It’s just sad that Samantha is getting caught in the crossfire.

Finally some good fucking tv

Joey was pretty much a side character at best last week

I don’t get the complaints that it’s the Joey show, he’s just got a storyline now

Samantha is obviously hurt and embarrassed right now but at the end of the day it's been two weeks and she's barely even kissed the bloke. It's not like they're getting a divorce after a 20 year marriage the way some people are acting. She's a grown woman and she'll be absolutely fine once some fresh blood comes in.

I think she liked the idea of him more than she actually liked him and she'll realise that when someone she actually likes comes in.

Also, I don't think Joey/Grace are end game, it's just all lust right now. We've seen these hot and heavy couples move mad before.

Bullshit they broke up a decent LI couple for no reason.vote joey and grace outtt who cares about w couple who had their first meetings off screen! 🙄

I’m so confused did you not watch the past 2 weeks. What be kind storyline was there?

I really Joey being in there personally it’s made the show a lot more entertaining tbh

Confident? 😂