This year’s Love Island launched with a major twist as Joey Essex made a dramatic entrance into the villa.
The former TOWIE star was revealed as the season’s first bombshell, marking a historic moment as the first true celebrity to join the show. While previous seasons have seen familiar faces like Adam Collard and Kady McDermott return, the 33-year-old’s arrival was unprecedented given his high-profile career.
Essex, who first gained fame in 2011 on TOWIE, has since become a household name in reality TV. His extensive resume includes appearances on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, The Jump, Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity Ex on the Beach, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Dancing on Ice, and even Celebrity Masterchef.
Since stepping into the Love Island villa in search of romance, Essex has been embroiled in two love triangles, first leaving Samantha Kenny for his ex/not ex/ex again Grace Jackson. Then he turned his attention to Jessy Potts after she arrived in the villa as a bombshell, dropping Jackson once again.
Ahead of the series finale, The Standard looks back at his illustrious dating history, which includes high-profile relationships with Sam Faiers and The Hills’ Stephanie Pratt.
Sam Faiers
The TV star’s romance with Sam Faiers first blossomed in 2011 when the pair joined The Only Way Is Essex. Their relationship, marked by its ups and downs, played out on the popular reality show over the next three years. Joey’s heartfelt on-air proposal to Sam was a memorable highlight for fans.
However, the couple's engagement ended during a dramatic TOWIE trip to Marbella in 2014, bringing their rollercoaster love story to a close.
Amy Willerton
During a brief split from Faiers, Essex enjoyed a short romance with model Amy Willerton. The pair sparked rumors during their time on I'm A Celebrity in 2013, with the former Miss Great Britain finishing fifth and the ITV star fourth.
While some fans speculated that their jungle flirtation was merely for the cameras, they did go on a few dates after the show before eventually parting ways.
Reflecting on her post-show experience, Willerton told the Daily Star Sunday: "The attention after we left the show was really hard for me. While Joey had a strong management team behind him, I didn't really have anybody in my corner."
Stephanie Pratt
In 2016, the TOWIE star let many surprised when he fell for Stephanie Pratt while appearing on Celebs Go Dating.
Despite Pratt’s declaring that they would be "together forever" on Celebrity Juice, they went their separate ways a month later, citing hectic schedules and "distance" as contributing factors to their split.
Speaking about their brief fling during his second stint on Celebs Go Dating, Essex admitted, "I was living for the moment at the time," acknowledging the intensity of their feelings, saying, "The L-word did get thrown about. I admit that."
Ellie Brown
Before his own Love Island journey, the TV personality found himself romantically involved with former villa bombshell Ellie Brown in 2018. After her split from Charlie Brake, she confirmed their rumoured romance with Joey with an Instagram post of them kissing.
However, their love affair was fleeting, coming to an end after just a few months. Destiny intervened two years later as they crossed paths again on MTV's celebrity edition of Ex On The Beach.
Despite their past romance, the former Islander clarified that there was no animosity between them, explaining:, "Our thing wasn't like a bad split so we were never really on awful terms."
Lorena Medina
The reality TV star met Lorena Medina on 2019’s Ex On The Beach, sparking a romance that lasted until February 2020. During their time together, the Mexican model even moved into his residence in Chigwell. However, their relationship took a sour turn.
Amidst rumours of infidelity, sparked by photos of him leaving Rita Ora’s apartment after a night of partying, Medina accused him of cheating, leading to their breakup. Despite both Ora and Essex denying any romantic involvement, it ultimately led to the end of his and Medina’s relationship.
Maura Higgins
In October 2022, the TV personality and Maura Higgins set tongues wagging when they were spotted kissing at the Pride of Britain Awards, reportedly later leaving together in the same taxi.
Despite their alleged romantic encounter, neither party confirmed their relationship publicly. In fact, the Irish star dismissed reports she was “smitten” with Essex on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Vanessa Bauer
Throughout their time on Dancing on Ice, the ITV star and his partner Vanessa Bauer sparked persistent rumors about the nature of their relationship. Their flirtatious dynamic, coupled with their chemistry on the ice, fueled speculation, especially after their captivating Grease-themed performance.
During an interview with then host Philip Schofield, the duo was pressed about the nature of their off-ice partnership, to which he cheekily responded, “Danny and Sandy are getting on pretty well, if you know what I mean.”
When asked if they were “going steady,” Essex quipped: “Of course, always steady,” but quickly added a disclaimer that he wasn't confirming anything.
Despite eventually making their relationship official, the romance was short-lived. Less than a week after going public, they called it quits in April 2023.
