Joey Essex has teased plans to quit reality TV and leave the UK for opportunities in America following his stint on Love Island, where he was dumped just hours before the final

Joey Essex has plans to quit reality TV and leave the UK for opportunities in America after the Love Island backlash.

The TOWIE star, 33, appeared on Thursday’s This Morning with partner Jessy Potts to talk about their time on the ITV2 show, where they were dumped on Sunday night in a savage twist just hours ahead of the final.

It comes as Love Island has been hit with another 1,831 complaints and a further 168 complaints, which saw Joey and co-star Sean Stone criticised by fans for their behaviour. Appearing on Thursday’s This Morning, host Josie Gibson asked: “Joey, is it true you’re quitting reality TV?”

To which Joey admitted: “I’m taking a huge break, you know, I feel like I’ve done every reality show possible now. I don’t think I really want to do Strictly, I’m just taking a break and I’ve got some opportunities over in America at the moment so I feel like I maybe might take it over there.”

Joey Essex has teased plans to quit reality TV and leave the UK for opportunities in America after Love Island backlash ( Image: ITV)

Josie then asked whether the ‘controversial headlines’ have been hard to deal with since leaving the villa to which Joey insisted: “No, not really… I feel like my journey in the Love Island villa might have been a bit that way, controversy, but at the end of the day not everyone is going to love you all of the time, obviously, I know the situation. Luckily, I’m strong-minded and very resilient!”

It comes as Love Island was full of drama on Sunday night as Joey and Jessy were dumped from the villa just hours ahead of the final. During Monday’s live final, as Maya Jama hosted, viewers are convinced they spotted Joey’s ‘fuming’ face as he was seen in the background looking unimpressed.

Taking to Twitter, now X, one person said: “Joey fuming in the corner #loveisland”, a different account wrote: “Joey is fuming he ain’t in the final #loveisland”, another put: “Joey is fuming. He really wanted to be in the finals #Loveisland”, a different viewer said: “Joey sat there watching wishing he was in that final #LoveIsland” while another added: “Joey looks P****D sitting in the background #loveisland.”

During Sunday’s dumping, Joey found himself under fire by several Islanders, who accused him of ‘game playing’ while ex Samantha Kenny got her revenge as she accused the TOWIE star of ‘lying’.