Love Island’s Sam is brutally DUMPED after just 24 hours in the villa

By Connie Rusk For Mailonline

22:11 04 Jun 2024, updated 01:22 05 Jun 2024

Sam Taylor was sent packing from the Love Island villa after just 24 hours following Joey Essex’s bombshell arrival. 

Former The Only Way Is Essex star Joey, 33, uprooted Sam from his place in the competition as he stole the hairdresser’s love interest Samantha Kenny. 

Sam was left single by the shock move and promptly told he must pack his bags and leave.  

Joey had spent the day flirting up a storm with several of the girls, before announcing his final decision at the firepit. 

He said: ‘I have decided to couple up with this girl because the last 24 hours in this villa has been the most flirtatious. 

‘It’s been tough because I’ve got to know you girls on a nice level and I’ve got to know you guys but this is Love Island. 

‘I have had to go with my heart and it’s the right decision. The girl I would like to steal is Samantha.’ 

However tensions are set to rise even more as Joey moves on with Harriett Blackmore in the Hideaway.   

In scenes set to air on Wednesday’s show, Joey gets hands on with Harriett, much to the dismay of Samantha. 

Viewers took to X to say Sam ‘didn’t deserve’ to be evicted and had already made his place as a firm fan favourite. 

They wrote: ‘No Sam didn’t deserve this’ and ‘Sam leaving is criminal’.

‘Love island producers better find a way to bring back Sam cause everyone is MAD that he is gone. He was one of the finest person in that villa too’

‘What do you mean Sam is gone? I need him back’. 

Speaking of his exit, Sam said: ‘I’m disappointed to be leaving so soon as I wanted to work my magic and get to know everyone a bit better.

‘When Joey walked in I had a feeling I might be in trouble. Samantha is a stunning girl and I knew that they would get on.

‘We were all buzzing to meet him, he’s such a big character, it was great getting to know him. Ultimately, he had to do what he had to do which didn’t work in my favour but no hard feelings.’

Former The Only Way Is Essex star Joey made a shock arrival at the end of Monday night’s launch and Tuesday’s episode kicked off with Maya Jama delivering bombshell news. 

The host, 29, told islanders Joey has to steal one girl from one of the pairings, meaning the now single male will be sent home. 

As the ladies gushed over their celebrity resident, fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to joke the ‘lads are bricking it’. 

They wrote: ‘This is going to cause carnage’ and ‘The lads are BRICKING it #loveIsland I live for these moments’. 

‘The boys are stressed’ and ‘Joey better not send Munveer or Ayo home, I like their personalities in the villa!’

‘I was literally just saying how it’s only a matter of time till they bring back the early dumping at the first recoupling. It’s been years!!!!’.  

Others questioned Joey’s motive after he said he had gone on the villa to ‘find love’. 

One wrote: ‘Joey Essex is not a serious somebody, he’s here for the money’, while another said: ‘still feel like putting a celebrity in there with all newbies is weird. It’s such a massive advantage to already have such a huge following. Joey would’ve been a better fit in the All Stars show.’ 

Joey wasted no time getting settled into the villa and has snogged three bikini-clad beauties on his first day.

And while this might not make him very popular with the other men in the villa, he’s already been voted odds-on favourite to win. 

During a game of dares, Joey found himself kissing Samantha Kenny, Harriett Blackmore and Nicole Samuel. 

Yet it seems Samantha’s head was elsewhere because when Samantha was dared to kiss the Islander who she had an instant connection with, she immediately turned to Ronnie Vint. 

Ronnie didn’t return the favour, however, as when dared to kiss the two Islanders with the ‘best bodies’ he chose Jess White and Harriett, leaving Samantha less than impressed. 

Elsewhere during the episode, Samantha was dared to kiss the Islander who she had an instant connection with and wastes no time in leaning in for a smooch with Ronnie.

Ronnie was then dared to kiss the two Islanders who he thinks have the best bodies and he chose Jess and Harriett, leaving Samantha less than impressed.

It appears the kiss set off a spark between himself and Jess as they soon headed up to the terrace for a chat.

Jess said: ‘I’m happy with how things are going. I’m not going to complain.’

Ronnie replied: ‘First kiss done.’ Jess then asked: ‘What do you rate it out of ten?’ Ronnie said: ‘9.6.’

Getting flirty, Jess said: ‘What was the room for improvement?’

Ronnie replied: ‘I don’t know. Do you want to see now?’ before they lock lips once more.

Things also heat up between Love Island’s Mimii Ngulube and Ayo Odukoya during the sexy game of dares.

While sat around the firepit, each Islander will pick a phone out of a box and whoever’s phone it is will have to complete a dare.

Mimii, who is currently in a couple with Munveer Jabbal after they were both voted ‘most relationship material’, is dared to snog the Islander she’d rather be coupled up with.

The mental health nurse, 24, heads over to model Ayo, 25, and the pair share a passionate kiss, just hours after their flirty chat.

Reflecting on the kiss in the Beach Hut, Mimii says: ‘I’ll give him his accolades – it was a good kiss.’

The news comes after it emerged Joey is ‘looking for a wife in the villa’ after signing up to the show for the ‘right reasons.’

The former TOWIE star, who at 33 is the oldest contestant in the lineup, already has fame and 1.8million Instagram followers, with sources close to the TV personality saying he doesn’t ‘need’ the exposure.

Joey made Love Island history on Monday night when he became the first celebrity to join the cast of singletons, who are otherwise unknown.

His arrival led to the show being streamed 2.1 million times, an uplift of 24 percent on the same episode last year and gave ITVX its best day for six weeks.

According to insiders, Joey, who’s also starred on I’m A Celeb, Dancing On Ice, Ex on the Beach, and Celebs Go Dating, wants to ‘settle down’ and find someone he can start a family with.

And ITV bosses are hoping the format twist will boost ratings and fans of Joey will engage with his love story.

A TV source told MailOnline: ‘Joey has signed up to Love Island for all the right reasons.

‘He’s 33 years old and really wants to find someone he can settle down with, he wants a wife and to have children one day.

‘Not many people know the real Joey, over the years he’s hidden behind his reality TV persona but being on Love Island will give him the opportunity to show his true self.

‘He doesn’t need fame, followers, or the prize money… He’s excited to meet someone and can’t wait to start dating.’

Love Island continues on Wednesday night on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm.