Joey Essex is Love Island's oldest-ever contestant - but he's still looking for the 'love of his life'

They may be busy soaking up the sun and 'going for chats' in the Love Island villa, but the 2024 cast have also waved goodbye - perhaps temporarily - to their careers for a summer of love. As the eleventh series of Love Island continues to bring us more drama, bombshells and dumpings, OK! takes a look at what the Islanders did for work before becoming the stars who grace our TV screens every evening. Not only is there reality TV royalty starring on the show but there's also a mental health nurse, a semi-pro footballer and a HR coordinator.

Love Island's Samantha Kenny and Patsy Field have shown they're not letting getting dumped from the villa get them down.The girls, who started in the original cast of the 2024 ITV2 show earlier this month, were spotted out partying in London together with friends.The group enjoyed watching Girls Aloud from a box on Saturday night. Patsy, 29, posted a video of Samantha, 26, dancing and singing along to their hit song Love Machine. Later on she shared an update from a taxi, showing the party carrying on as passengers including Liverpudlian Sam, singing and dancing in the car.

It's hotting up in the Love Island villa - particularly in Joey Essex’s bed, as the TOWIE star smooches up a storm with bombshell Grace Jackson. While the couple, who originally met on holiday and briefly dated , claim they haven’t seen each other in over a year, recently dumped islanders Munveer and Patsy aren’t so sure that’s true. Speaking exclusively to OK!'s Love Island Dumping Debrief - OK!'s weekly video series where the 2024 cash unpack the latest drama from the series - Patsy and Munveer gave their opinion on what they think about Joey and Grace’s romance.

Kiefer Sutherland is breaking his silence on his dad Donald Sutherland‘s death.

Two brand-new and stunning, bombshells Matilda June-Draper and Konnor Ewudzi have entered into the Love Island villa. However, within just seconds of their arrival, they’ve already stirred up drama for one couple. Ronnie Vint who has famously been in love triangles since he first came into the villa shockingly declared he knows new girl Matilda.

Samantha Kenny's mum has taken a swipe at Joey Essex for 'ruining' her daughter's experience on Love Island after she was brutally dumped from the villa.The 26 year old was sent home on Tuesday, 18 June, after she was left single following a recoupling around the fire pit. The beauty entered the Love Island villa on day one and after the shock arrival of TOWIE star Joey Essex, the pair coupled up. Despite highs and lows, Samantha and Joey remained as a couple for around two weeks and in Love Island terms - that's pretty serious.

The drama in Love Island is about to reach boiling point - with a massive never seen before twist. In Sunday 16 June's episode, the latest bombshell Grace Jackson stirs things up when she receives a tantalising text that announces, "Grace, Tiffany and Will, It's time to pack a bag and get ready for a night away with an Islander of your choice.

Things could get very complicated in the Love Island villa very soon, as 25 year old bombshell Grace Jackson is set to stir things up during her entrance to the villa this week.The blonde beauty is one of three new bombshells – along with Wil Anderson and Tiffany Leighton – who have entered the villa, and it turns out that Grace knows not just one, but two of the current Islanders. Grace, who co-owns a social media marketing agency in Manchester and also works as a model, is Joey Essex’s ex, with the pair having dated for six weeks earlier this year.

It’s been five years since Chris Taylor first rose to fame on Love Island and, while he may not have found love on the show, he has had one heck of a ride ever since. After his appearance raised Chris’s profile and even led to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role in the hit movie Barbie, the 33-year-old returned to the villa for a second go at romance in January in Love Island: All Stars. And with the iconic dating show back on our screens, Chris chats exclusively about what life on the ITV2 show is really like – from queuing for cameras to leaving the villa for cheat meals.

Food is pretty a big deal in the Love Island villa - but for one Islander they couldn't wait to escape and go on a hunt for a McDonald's. Former contestant Chris Taylor - who also shot to fame in the Barbie movie - revealed that on their 'days off' the boys and girls would separate, and the boys would be on the lookout for some junk food. Chris, who first appeared on Love Island season five and later on the spin-off All Stars series this year, said: "They made us eat out of troughs like pigs [in the villa]! Nah, I’m only joking, it’s just pretty standard catering.

Love Island fans are speculating that one of the contestants may already be feeling "the ick" towards their partner after participating in the first challenge of the new series. In Tuesday's episode, the islanders were seen taking part in the 'On Job' challenge, which involved performing a sex position with a partner.

Two Love Island stars may be packing their bags and signing up for a very different type of adventure, as it has been reported they are lined up to appear in this year’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. According to The Sun, the two ex-Islanders competing in the series known as TV’s toughest reality show will be Chloe Burrows, who appeared on Love Island in 2021, and Adam Collard, who was on the dating series in 2018 and 2022.

Recently, Love Island fans have been questioning Joey Essex regarding a comment he made about his past stint on The Only Way Is Essex to his fellow islanders.

Kerry Katona has learnt to juggle the tricky life of co-parenting with an estranged partner, but in her latest column she admits she feels regret over her relationship with her exes. Discussing her failed first marriage to Brian McFadden - with whom she shares eldest daughters Lilly and Molly - the former Atomic Kitten star says "it's a shame" they haven't been able to come together for the sake of their kids. She also addresses the rumours of feud with her former Atomic Kitten bandmates, spills the beans on her romantic birthday trip for fiancé Ryan's birthday, and tells us what she thinks of Joey Essex in Love Island...

James 'Arg' Argent has addressed rumours of a Love Island bombshell entrance following his friend Joey Essex's shock arrival in the villa. It comes after the former The Only Way Is Essex star, 36, said he was heading to Majorca.

Love Island has had it's fair share of dramas over the years with shock bomshells, dumpings and exits. Series 11 has already provided the drama in the first week, with the first ever celebrity bombshell, Joey Essex arriving on the first night. With the TOWIE legend's arrival however, came a brutal dumping.The 33-year-old chose to recouple with makeup artist Samantha, which caused her partner Sam to be sent packing.

This year's series of Love Island has kicked off with a bang, as reality TV veteran Joey Essex has brought the drama.The TOWIE star is already providing fans of the ITV 2 show with plenty of entertainment by "stirring" things up. Some fans are convinced that the 33-year-old reality TV veteran is on a secret mission to cause chaos, or he's been planted to manufacture some captivating storylines.They think this because on Friday's episode, Joey decided to get involved in the the love triangle between Ciaran Davies, Harriet Blackmore and Nicole Samuel.

Love Island as we know it launched nearly a decade ago in 2015, but there was an earlier version of the dating show that was broadcast in 2005, in which 13 single celebrities spent five weeks together in a villa in Fiji hoping to find love and also win a share of the £100,000 grand prize. The series – originally called Celebrity Love Island – was presented by Patrick Kielty and Kelly Brook.

Katie Price has slammed Joey Essex’s stint in the Love Island villa. The TOWIE legend became the first celebrity bombshell to enter the villa on Monday 3 June, but it doesn’t looks like everyone approves of his decision. "I don't think it was a good move for him,” the former glamour model said on her podcast, The Kate Price Show.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. New bombshells have entered the villa. Season 11 of “Love Island,” which kicked off on Monday night, will again see contestants competing for love in Mallorca, Spain where they’ll be joined by host Maya Jama who took over from Laura Whitmore in 2022.