Tbh, we're still not over the fact that reality TV legend Joey Essex has been in the Love Island villa for almost eight weeks now.
The former TOWIE star's dramatic entrance into the Love Island 2024 villa on day one as the first bombshell of the series is easily one of the biggest gags in Love Island history – and we're genuinely still not over it.
Naturally, such an iconic television personality entering the villa will massively split opinion and it's fair to say Joey's inclusion has certainly ruffled one or two feathers out there.
This has arguably been spurred on by his reputation as a "pot stirrer" in the villa, as well as his turbulent relationships with Samantha Kenny, Grace Jackson, and Jessy Potts on the show – not to mention his various macho rows with a handful of the Love Island lads.
One set of feathers certainly ruffled by the online anti-Joey brigade belong to none other than TOWIE icon Chloe Sims – Joey's cousin – who has spoken out and publicly slammed the Joey Essex haters out there.
And while she is completely entitled to defend her famous cousin however she wishes, we couldn't help but notice that her defence is a little, erm, flawed.
Sharing a still of Joey performing his rap during the Love Island talent show (interesting choice, as we all witnessed that 'when I say secret, you say...' chant) on her Instagram story, Chloe wrote, "@joeyessex and that's why he's the first non Love Island celeb to enter the villa... Seen a lot of trash talk online... Take notes 🗒️ there's only 1 Joey Essex!"
Now...
Obviously, Chloe is allowed to back her cousin – and we agree, there is a lot of unnecessary trash talk out there – but Joey is certainly not "the first non Love Island celeb to enter the villa".
In fact, the fandom has been arguing about this online for weeks. So allow us to clear it up once and for all...
A quick reminder to all that Love Island 2017's Marcel Somervillewas in THE Blazin' Squad before the show, Love Island 2018 winner Dani Dyer appeared in films like Vendetta and Run For Your Wife prior to appearing on the show, and Love Island 2019 star Curtis Pritchard was a dancer and choreographer on Dancing with the Stars way back when.
Even Will Young was Farmer Will on TikTok before meeting Jessie Wynter. Oh, how could we forget that Love Island: All Stars' Sophie Piper was Rochelle Humes' sister literally since birth and Love Island's 2016 Zara Holland was already Miss GB while she was on the show.
We're not taking sides, but receipts are receipts.
Undeniably, Joey Essex is the biggest mainstream celebrity to walk through those villa doors and not perform a couple of bangers at some pool party, and who knows, he could become the first mainstream celebrity to actually win the show...