Jeremy McConnell and Hollyoaks’s Stephanie Davis’s televised romance came to an abrupt end when Jeremy became the sixth housemate to be evicted.
And now, sitting down on ITV’s This Morning, Jeremy has reached out to Stephanie’s long-term boyfriend, Sam Reece, to apologise.
Insisting that his romance with Steph is genuine, the 25-year-old Irish model told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby: “The Steph thing, we were going off the crowd reaction.
“It takes two to tango, I felt I contributed to it as well.
“I meant everything I said in there. I always follow my heart. I read some stuff about a showmance. I just went with my heart, I stand by that.
“To Sam, I’m sorry the way it worked out, but…”
Addressing the fact that Stephanie essentially cheated on her boyfriend on national television, Jeremy added that the Celebrity Big Brother house is a very strange environment - and that it intensifies relationships very quickly.
He explained: “When you’re in that confined space, love is a strange word. It’s an emotion I felt at the time. She confided in me a lot.
“I’m not a 14 year old, you have to think with your head. She ticks every box.”
Echoing his sentiment that he wants to have a few weeks apart from Steph when she exits the house, Jeremy added: “The stuff with her boyfriend, that has to be addressed.
“If you go single, take a few weeks to go by yourself.”
Meanwhile Gemma Collins, who is still inside the Celebrity Big Brother house with Stephanie, has reassured the real-life Sinead O’Connor that Jeremy will be waiting for her on the outside.
"You and Jeremy 100%," she said. "I'm so sure I'd put ten grand on it that you'll be together.
“You'll be with him.”
Addressing the sticky topic of Sam Reece, the TOWIE star added: “And I wouldn't even bother explaining to the other one, life's moved on.
"Things have happened and life's moved on.
“All you've got to say is, 'I'm very sorry but life's happened.'"
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