This year, to spice things up on Love Island, for the first time, producers introduced twins to the villa. The twins – Jess and Eve Gale – walked in at the end of the first episode, leaving the boys both shocked and amazed that two women could look exactly the same. But within days, the twins were split - as Eve was dumped from the villa.
While Jess stayed on the show, that meant that Eve was tasked with looking after her sister’s Instagram account. But last week, things turned nasty after her sister opted to kiss Mike - instead of Luke M - in Sunday night’s challenge. Taking to her Instagram story, Jess posted screenshots of Eve’s direct messages exposing horrific insults such as ‘sly, ugly, fat c***’ and ‘go die in a fire’, adding that she had been sent hundreds of death threats.
Speaking to Grazia, Eve adds that Jess was sent racist abuse for choosing to kiss Mike. ‘Before [the challenge], she was getting really nice messages, but obviously there were a few mean ones,’ she told us over the phone. ‘But it was definitely not a popular decision when she chose Mike. Then she was getting so many racist comments from a lot of young boys. They were saying the N word, like you’re disgusting, why would you pick this person, which I was obviously really shocked by.’
The reality star also says Jess’s stint in the villa is the longest - and farthest - that they’ve been away from each other, with Eve adding that she’s cried over the abuse. ‘I was really badly affected by it - that's my sister and naturally I feel protective over her,’ the 20-year-old says. ‘She is the most real, lovely, kind girl ever and she doesn’t deserve this. She is getting more hate from being in a reality TV show than murderers do.’ Eve tells us that some people even went as far as to detail how Jess should take her own life.
The student adds that ITV did prepare all the contestants for trolling on social media, with them advising them not to engage with the senders, who she says are ‘just normal people’. Though she hasn’t messaged the trolls, Eve says that posting the screenshots prompted a scared response from the bullies. ‘I got messages from them and their friends saying “please delete this, I am going to get bullied at school, I’m going to lose my job."' Karma, she says. ‘If you’re going to send messages like that deal with the consequences.’
Before the girls went into the villa, Eve says they talked about the possibility of being separated - they knew it would be tough being parted for so long, but they were willing to make the sacrifice. ‘There is no jealousy there,’ she adds. ‘I want her to do so well.’
While Eve tells us she likes Mike, she admits that she isn’t entirely sure he would have professed his feelings if Leanne hadn't dumped him. ‘He seems like a nice person,’ she says. ‘And I respect him. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do - and you’ve got to shoot your shot.’ As for Casa Amor, Eve wants her sister to couple up with ‘someone who she genuinely likes’ because she feels like, so far, there's been 'no one she would get with in the outside world.’ ‘I just want her to be happy,' she says. 'If she’s happy I don’t care.’
READ MORE: According To Amy Hart, Love Island’s Casa Amor Is ‘Pure Hell’