Shortly after joining Love Island as the show’s first ever celebrity bombshell earlier this month, Joey Essex coupled up with Liverpudlian make-up artist Samantha Kenny and, compared to a lot of couples in the villa, it’s been relatively smooth sailing so far.
There have, however, been a couple of things causing concern for their blossoming romance, with Samatha expressing that Joey isn’t very touchy feely with her despite claiming that he was a big fan of PDA in relationships.
Joey’s cousin Frankie Sims – who, like him, used to appear on TOWIE - has now spoken out about their relationship and although she admitted it’s “unusual” that Joey hasn’t been particularly affectionate with Samantha, she insisted that he does like her.
“She is the one that I chose for him before he even selected anyone. I think she's really pretty. She's definitely his type,” Frankie said.
“Obviously, the whole lack of affection the past couple of episodes is unusual, so I don't know whether he's just trying to take it slow with her and he's into it with her in a mature way, or whether he's waiting for somebody else to come in."
Viewers have also pointed out that Joey looks uncomfortable whenever Samantha references Joey’s fame or his time on TOWIE after she admitted she was a big fan of the ITVBe show (same, hun), although Frankie reckons it’s all been blown out of proportion.
She told The Sun, “I'm really unsure about whether she's quoting it all the time or whether the edit is just making it look like she's a superfan.
“I don't think he would be with someone if he thought they were a superfan. I think he would quite easily jump ship.”
Frankie added, “So I don't think he's as dramatic in the villa is what they're making it look. He definitely does like her because he would have jumped ship by now, I'm sure."
Joey and Samantha went on their first date in last night’s episode (Thursday 13 June) and it appears their connection is growing deeper by the day, however Grace Jackson is entering the villa as a bombshell and it looks like she has history with Joey. Could this throw a spanner in the works for him and Samantha?
A preview at the end of the episode showed Grace strutting into the villa alongside fellow bombshells Wil Anderson and Tiffany Leighton before the camera panned to a stunned Joey, who revealed, “I used to see that girl, bruv… that blonde girl.”
WATCH 'We're in control of our days' Frankie and Demi Sims on TOWIE vs House of Sims
Nathan Katnoria is heat and Closer online’s senior digital writer. He became obsessed with Love Island when Malin Andersson came back to confront Terry Walsh in series two and hasn’t looked back since. When he’s not interviewing former Islanders, Nathan is scrolling through their Instagram feeds for relationship updates and piping hot tea.