Love Island bosses have been forced to deny online rumours that former contestant Jacques O'Neill was removed from the villa for bullying Tasha Ghouri.
ITV bosses have denied the unsubstantiated allegations after a series of text messages circulated, supposedly from someone who met a Love Island producer at a party. The texts claimed that Jacques, 23, was removed from the villa for misogynistic behaviour and doing an impression of Tasha, who is deaf.
The texts soon went viral on Twitter and began picking up traction, forcing Love Island bosses to squash the claims. According to Metro.co.uk, ITV said the claims are completely false.
Jacques sudden exit following tensions with Adam Collard, 26, left viewers wondering if there was more to the story. At the time, a statement from Love Island emerged, saying: “Jacques has made the decision to leave the Villa. He will explain his reasons to the Islanders during tonight’s episode. We fully support his decision and look forward to seeing what’s next for Jacques.”
This comes after fans were left furious and accused Jacques of bullying Tasha in video allegedly posted to his Instagram stories, showing him reacting to the Love Island final. In the clip, a voice that appears to be that of Jacques is heard impersonating show winner Davide Sanclimenti, 27, as Tasha read her declaration of love to her boyfriend Andrew Le Page, 27, saying: “You are a liar, and an actress, get the f**k out”.
Tasha’s father, Tarek Ghouri, was among those that reacted to the clip, taking to Twitter he wrote: “Some people grow and mature from their Island experience, some don’t. It is what it is.”
Fellow contestant Remi Lambert, 22, has also made comments about Jacques' behaviour in the villa, saying he and Luca Bish, 23, made the experience "sh*t" and adding: "Jacques said bad things about my appearance and the way I speak, whilst Luca was encouraging it. After about three strikes from Jacques I told him I won't be speaking to him anymore in the villa."
In Jacques' tearful farewell scenes from the Love Island villa, he told his fellow Islanders: “I'm trying my best but I'm not a fake person and I'm not going to start faking things and act like I'm okay when things inside aren't actually okay.” He then bid an emotional farewell to Paige Thorne, 24, with whom he was coupled up with at the time, and left. Paige went on to couple up with Adam.
In a post-exit interview with The Sun Jacques, who suffers with ADHD, has described his mental health struggles on the show and says going on Love Island as "the worst decision of my life". He said: "I was feeling so mentally drained I just wanted to go home and get myself right."
He added: "It broke me and I was already broken. I was crying my eyes out. I couldn't cope." Since leaving, Jacques has been regularly keeping his 1.3 million Instagram followers entertained with posts including some Instagram Lives with fellow ex-Islander Luca.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our weekly Showbiz newsletter here .
READ NEXT:
- Queen thought Princess Beatrice's name was 'too yuppie' and forced it to be 'changed'
- Sir Rod Stewart shares back stage warm up routine that leaves fans divided
- Gordon Ramsay's son Oscar sports Rangers kit to practise football skills in garden
- David and Victoria double their 'Brand Beckham' profits cashing in over £11m in a year
- Katie Price and Carl Woods planning wedding abroad and 'stronger than ever'
