Joey Essex’s girlfriends: everyone the TOWIE star has dated – from Jessy Potts to Sam Faiers and Rita Ora

The TOWIE and Love Island star is single once again

Joey Essex

by Closer staff |
Updated on

TOWIE and Love Island star Joey Essex is officially back on the market after announcing he’s split from villa girlfriend Jessy Potts.

Just seven weeks after they finished Love Island 2024 in fifth place – and amid much speculation about their relationship status – Joey and Jessy confirmed they’d decided to call it quits, but insisted they would remain friends.

Jessy Potts and Joey Essex
Joey and Jessy have parted ways after just seven weeks ©ITV Pictures

Joey entered the Love Island villa back in June as the first-ever celebrity bombshell and much like his love life in the outside world, his romantic journey was quite the rollercoaster.

It’s fair to say that he’s had a chequered history when it comes to dating after being engaged to Sam Faiers and linked with everyone from Maura Higgins to Rita Ora.

Joey Essex
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, Joey Essex really is an Islander ©ITV Pictures

When Closer spoke to Joey on the red carpet at the Pride of Britain awards last year, the Essex star said of his love life, “It’s one of those things where I just say, ‘No comment!’. But it’s good – it’s always good!”

Let’s take a look back at his former flames, shall we?

Joey Essex's girlfriends - who has the TOWIE star dated?

Sam Faiers

Joey Essex and Sam Faiers
Joey was engaged to Sam ©Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

It's safe to say that Joey and Sam had a turbulent relationship during their time on and off TOWIE. They met on the show back in 2010 and started dating but split a year later. They then reunited and got engaged in 2012 but after another year together they split.

Amber Turner

Amber Turner
Amber Turner ©Mike Marsland/WireImage

Before she even appeared on TOWIE, Amber was papped leaving a nightclub holding Joey's hand in 2012. This was during Joey and Sam's on/off relationship when they were very much off, and years before Amber started dating Joey's pal Dan Edgar .

Amy Willerton

Joey Essex and Amy Willerton
Joey and Amy appeared on I'm A Celeb together ©Shutterstock

They met on I'm A Celeb back in 2014 and Amy even taught Joey how to tell the time in the jungle. After growing close on the show, it appeared that they were smitten with each other but it wasn't long before 'showmance' speculation began to do the rounds and a year later, Amy claimed that Joey did want to have a fake relationship.

Stephanie Pratt

Joey Essex and Stephanie Pratt
Joey and Steph met on Celebs Go Dating ©Getty Images

After meeting on Celebs Go Dating in 2016, Joey and Stephanie Pratt did what most of the stars do - date their fellow celebrity co-stars instead of the regular people they're paired up with. Things seemed promising but it quickly became clear that they wasn't going to last after they split one month later. Fast forward a few months and Joey was back on Celebs Go Dating.

Ellie Brown

Ellie Brown
Ellie and Joey reunited on Celeb Ex on the Beach after their brief romance ©Ricky Vigil M/GC Images

Back in October 2018, Ellie was pictured snogging Joey Essex following her split with Charlie Brake. Fast forward a month and Joey and Ellie apparently confirmed their romance with a kiss on Instagram. Their relationship fizzled out a few months later but they came face to face on Celebrity Ex On The Beach back in 2020.

Lorena Medina

Joey Essex and Lorena Medina
Joey and Lorena met on Celebrity Ex on the Beach ©Getty Images

Joey and Lorena met on Celebrity Ex On The Beach in 2020 and started dating. Shortly after the show wrapped, things moved quickly for the pair with Lorena moving into Joey's Essex home. They appeared to be totally loved up until Joey was pictured leaving Rita Ora's home following a night out and Lorena dumped him.

Rita Ora

Rita Ora
Joey was linked to singer Rita Ora ©Dave Benett/Getty Images for TYPEBEA

Joey was papped leaving singer Rita Ora's London home the morning after a night out with their mutual pal Vas J Morgan, sparking rumours they were romantically involved. Joey later broke his silence and while he admitted Rita was a "sort", he insisted they were just friends.

Brenda Santos

Joey Essex and Brenda Santos
Joey dated Brazilian model Brenda ©Instagram

Joey went on to date Brazilian model Brenda Santos, but their whirlwind romance only lasted five months. Brenda later revealed they had sex at least once every day and said that Joey loved her 'bum bum'.

Maura Higgins

Maura Higgins
Joey and Maura shared a kiss at the Pride of Britain awards ©Karwai Tang/WireImage

Joey and Maura were pictured kissing at the Pride of Britain awards after party in 2022. It seems it didn't go any further than a cheeky snog though, as Maura later denied they'd been on a string of secret dates. When asked about their kiss by heat magazine a few months later, Joey said, "I don’t know – I can’t even remember. I mean all I remember is her tongue being down my throat to be honest."

Vanessa Bauer

Joey Essex and Vanessa Bauer
Joey and Vanessa skated together on Dancing on Ice ©Karwai Tang/WireImage

Joey and Vanessa sparked romance rumours when they skated together on Dancing on Ice in 2023. Vanessa denied they were anything more than friends, but the rumours persisted until Joey confirmed he was single a few months later.

Samantha Kenny

Samantha Kenny and Joey Essex
Joey coupled up with Samantha on day two of Love Island 2024 ©ITV Pictures

Okay, Joey and Samantha were never officially boyfriend and girlfriend, but she was the first person he coupled up with when he entered the Love Island villa. Remember when he sent poor Sam Taylor home in the process? Two weeks after they coupled up, Joey's ex Grace Jackson arrived as a bombshell and sparked the beginning of the end for him and Samantha. But she got her revenge just before the final when she returned with some of the other dumped Islanders and voted to send Joey and Jessy packing.

Grace Jackson

Joey Essex and Grace Jackson kissing in bed
Joey and Grace rekindled their pre-villa romance when she arrived as a bombshell ©ITV Pictures

Joey was left gobsmacked when Grace, who he'd previously had a holiday romance with, entered the villa as a bombshell and they quickly picked things back up. It was all going so well, but then he had his head turned once again - classic Joey - by Jessy.

Jessy Potts

Joey Essex and Jessy Potts
Joey and Jessy finished Love Island in fifth place ©IMAGO/FAMOUS

Joey entered the villa saying he was looking for his future wife and we had high hopes that he'd found her when he coupled up with Jessy. Despite a couple of arguments over Joey's often questionable behaviour, the pair lasted a long time in the villa and were dumped just before the final. After just under two months in the outside world, however, Joey and Jessy confirmed they had split.

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