Joey Essex accused of gaslighting Grace by Love Island fans

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Love Island viewers have claimed Joey Essex is gaslighting Grace Jackson after he went on a date with another islander.

New bombshell contestant Jessy Potts, 25, from Leicester entered the villa and chose to take the TOWIE star on a date. Jackson, 25, became upset and angry when Potts returned from the date and told the girls that she wasn't sure what Essex's situation was.

Essex then took Jackson for a chat and told her their situation had not changed, but he wanted to get to know Potts more.

What, how and why?

Essex, 33, returned from the date with brand partnerships associate Potts, from Leicester, and told Ronnie Vint and Sean Stone: "There's chemistry there for sure. Like in a different way. Me head's scrambled.

"I learnt more in that date than in the whole time I've been here with Grace. The sexual chemistry between me and Grace is like up there. But this is different chemistry. I feel like with Grace there is something missing."

He also said: "We were never full closed off, them words were never spoken she's free to get to know other people, and I want to be able to as well."

The next morning on the the ITV2 dating show Essex avoided social media marketing agency owner Jackson before finally asking her to come for a private chat.

He told her: "You know, my feeling is not changed towards you at all. I know the situation is like probably not what we expected, but I feel like I owe it to myself and I owe it to you. I'm sorry that if this has happened. But nothing's happened."

He went on: "I don't know whether it's a friendship thing or what not. She's a really nice girl, like I can't I can't deny that. But I still have feelings for you. My feelings have not changed at all towards you. I still care about you. I still wanna get to know you more like we haven't really got proper deep with each other. I can't sit here and go we are fully, fully closed off."

Jackson snapped back: "I don't want to be in a triangle. I'm not sitting around letting you explore it when you blow smoke my a** about how special we are and how much you like me. You have got this opportunity in your hands right now, but you still wanna explore things with other people? I don't know what to say to you right now. I'm so disappointed in you, Joey."

What did viewers say?

Viewers felt Essex had led Jackson on. One wrote on social media platform X: "Joey gaslighting the situation after love bombing Grace for a week this guy is the worst #loveIsland." And another shared: "Joey is doing the same gaslighting he did to Samantha, Grace shouldn’t even be upset you loose them how you get them #loveisland." And one viewer claimed: "Joey is very cold and calculating #loveIsland."

But others felt Jackson should have expected to be treated that way after she and Essex did exactly the same to former islander Samantha Kenny.

One tweeted: "Grace had no compassion when Joey dumped Samantha for her. Smugly smiling and smirking. Karma is a b***h! #LoveIsland." Another commented: "Grace is payback time because you did that to Samantha repeats always happens #loveIsland." And another posted: "Grace saw what he did with Samantha. She obviously thinks she's so special it couldn't happen to her #loveisland."

Love Island airs on ITV2 at 9pm on weekdays.

Read more: Love Island

• Dumped Love Island star responds to 'lack of airtime' concerns (Digital Spy, 2 min read)

• Love Island fans spot key signs ‘Grace will ditch Joey’ as she unleashes ‘game plan’ (OK!, 2 min read)

• Love Island reportedly cut 'steamy' scenes between Joey and Grace (Cosmopolitan, 2 min read)

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/joey-essex-love-island-gaslighting-215224777.html