The 23-year-old was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, which she says made her realise what is most important.
Speaking to a UK newspaper, she said: “It was Joey or the show and I chose Joey. I’ve spent time apart from him and I’ve spent time really ill.
“I realise now what’s important and that’s health, happiness and my love for him. It was hard to leave TOWIE but I’m not risking those things anymore.”
Boutique owner Sam confessed that the show was the reason she and Joey, also 23, had split before – despite getting engaged. She said: When you live out your relationship on a TV show, you lose sight of how much is real and how much is for the cameras.
“That’s difficult. There’s always someone willing you to fight or make up because it makes good TV. It’s what we signed up for, but I can’t do it anymore.”
Being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease made her realise that it was the right time to leave the show, Sam explained. “Being ill was the wake-up call to do what makes me happy – that’s being with Joey without the cameras.”
Sam admitted that she struggled to watch Joey flirting with fellow I’m a Celeb contestant Amy Willerton, especially as before he went into the jungle they’d said they loved each other.
“In hindsight we never said off camera that we were going to get back together. This is the problem with the show,” she said. “We were encouraged to go on a date even though we’d been apart since May. It plays with your feelings.”
Despite being incredibly ill when she was diagnosed with the incurable disease, Sam recalls that hearing from Joey made her feel instantly better.
She said: “One day when I was at my lowest my phone beeped with a text that said: ‘Hiya.I read that you are unwell. I hope you are ok, love Joey x.’
“Suddenly I felt so much better just hearing from him. What I was going through was so scary that what had happened with him and Amy didn’t matter anymore. I knew right then that I still loved him.”
Sam insists they’re in no rush to get engaged again, but also admitted that she would love to have children with Joey.
She said: “I definitely want to have a family – there’s no rush but I can’t see myself having children with anyone other than Joey.”