Last night on Love Island, Joey Essex – the dating show’s first ever celebrity contestant – opened up about his mum’s death. In conversation with retail manager Jess White, whose father died a few years ago, 33-year-old Joey spoke about losing his beloved mother Tina.
'I was raised by my dad. My mum passed away when I was ten years old,' he told her. As they bonded over their respective grief, Joey admitted that he has only felt comfortable to talk about his loss since he turned 30. 'Obviously, it’s not nice, do you know what I mean? Growing up, I found it hard for years,' he said. 'I never actually spoke about it. But when you do actually speak about things, it’s like, ‘Oh!’ It’s better to own it.'
Joey, who wants to end this series of Love Island 'hand in hand with the love of my life' gave Jess, 25, an insight into the type of woman he’s looking for. 'I actually want a strong girl,' he told her.
Tina Essex died in 2001 by suicide after a battle with depression. Joey previously opened up about her death in BBC Three documentary Joey Essex: Grief And Me in 2021. 'My mum loved me, but she left me. I just think to myself, if she loved me that much, why would she leave me?' he said. And he revealed how it has affected his relationships. 'Imagine if I was with someone and I had kids with them and I really did love that person and then she left me. I wouldn’t know what to do,' he explained. 'I’m already thinking we’re gonna break up before we’re together. I’m pushing it away.'
His grief has had a huge impact on his life and he admitted that his cheeky persona can mask his true emotions. 'As a young kid, just about to go into secondary school, there’s no way out. No one understands where you’re coming from,' he said. 'People normally see me laughing and joking, being ‘Joey Essex’. Things that happened to me, I haven’t been able to talk about.'
Joey also spoke about her as he took part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2020. 'I had to deal with a lot of [stuff]. My mum committed suicide when I was ten, which was difficult,' he said. 'It hardened me up a little bit. It’s made me tougher inside. I know my mum loved me. But it has given me trust issues. One day she was there, one day she was gone.'
In March 2022, he shared a throwback photo of him lying next to his beloved mum on her birthday. 'It don’t get easier, but I do this all for you. I got nothing to prove to anyone but you mum. I’ll keep trying to make you proud.'
Joey – who’s appeared on The Only Way Is Essex, Celebs Go Dating and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – was tasked with 'stealing' a girl from one of the new couples. He chose to couple up with Samantha Kenny, 26, saying she had been the most 'flirtatious,' sending 23-year-old hairdresser Sam Taylor home in a shock twist.