TOWIE legend Joey Essex has made a surprise entrance into the Love Island villa as the show's first ever celebrity bombshell.
Having entered the villa and been coupled up, the 12 new Islanders barely had time to settle in before Maya Jama returned to reveal a first-night twist.
The first bombshell was then confirmed to be seasoned reality star Joey Essex, 33, who is joining the show as a regular Islander rather than a guest.
Explaining his reasons for taking part, Joey told The Sun: "I just want someone to like me for me and not 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."
Joey went on to claim that rather than being approached by producers, he applied in the normal way and went through the standard application process.
"I feel like Joey Bond... 'the name's Essex, Joey Essex'," he continued. "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."
The Islanders' reaction to Joey's entrance can be seen in tonight's episode of Love Island, airing at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
Neil Wilkes
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