We know he’s the king of reality TV and has done pretty much every show on the box, but we still never thought we’d see the day that TOWIE legend Joey Essex would end up on Love Island.
However, that’s exactly what happened on Monday 3 June when Love Island 2024 started and Maya Jama welcomed Joey through those villa doors as the first bombshell of the series. We genuinely had to pick our jaws up off the floor.
Fast forward to nearly two months later and Joey has been booted out of the Spanish villa alongside Jessy Potts just a day ahead of the final.
The duo were sent packing when their former Islanders, including scorned lover Samantha Kenny, had to pick which duo they wanted to send home.
Who is Joey Essex?
Joey Donald Essex - yes, that's his real name - rose to fame on The Only Way is Essex back in 2011 and has since made quite a name for himself in the world of showbiz. From filming a documentary, trying to find love on Celebs Go Dating and taking part in I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! (both the UK and Australian version), Joey has been a regular on our TV screens for over a decade.
Side note, if you haven't seen the hilarious moment Joey fell out of his bunk when was on the Aussie version of I'm A Celeb then you need to head over to YouTube to check it out, it'll make your day. It frequently makes ours.
How old is Joey Essex?
Born 29 July 1990, Joey is currently 33 years old.
Where is Joey Essex from?
Joey was born in Southwark, London but was brought up in Essex.
When was Joey Essex on TOWIE?
Joining the reality TV show in 2011, Joey was on TOWIE for two years before leaving in 2013.
During his TOWIE stint, Joey famously dated Sam Faiers. The couple had an on/off relationship for a few years and were even engaged at one point.
Why did Joey Essex go on Love Island?
Joey has revealed he "always wanted to go on Love Island" and felt like it was the "perfect moment" as he's ready to settle down with The One.
As for how he got on the show, Joey contacted Mike Spencer - the creator of Love Island - who he's known since he joined the cast of TOWIE.
"Myself and my cousin Chloe think really highly of Mike and it’s almost as if we’ve been on this journey together because when I think back to my first memories of being on TV Mike was always around and there to support us," Joey told The Sun.
"It felt like the right time to give the villa a shot, so I called Mike to ask him if I could apply and he said go for it."
What happened when Joey Essex was on Love Island?
What didn't happen? Joey first matched with Samantha before Grace Jackson, who he shared a previous romance with, rocked up and turned his head. Joey then ditched Grace for Jessy and the couple stayed together until they were dumped.
Besides romancing every blonde contestant going, Joey formed a strong alliance with sweet salesman Sean Stone but found himself butting heads with countless villa mates including Konnor Ewudzi, Ciaran Davies and Mimii Ngulube.
From talks of a 'secret mission,' to being fully invested in the not quite love triangle between Ayo Odukoya, Mimii and Josh Oyinsan, it was drama after drama with Joey around.
Who has Joey Essex dated?
As well as his relationship with Sam Faiers, Joey has previously dated fellow reality star Stephanie Pratt, Mexican singer Lorena Medina and Brazilian model Brenda Santos.
He's also been linked to I'm A Celeb co-star Amy Willerton, Miss Universe Australia winner Maria Thattil, Love Island legend Maura Higgins and Rita Ora.
He left the Love Island villa in a couple with Jessy and the duo are adamant about making the romance work on the outside.
What happened to Joey Essex's mum?
When he was ten years old, Joey's mum took her own life. Joey has been an ambassador for Child Bereavement UK since 2014 and discussed his mum's death on his documentary Joey Essex: Grief and Me.
Who is Joey Essex's sister?
Diehard TOWIE fans will remember that Joey used to appear on the ITVBe show alongside his sister Frankie Essex. Frankie was a TOWIE cast member between 2011 and 2013, but also popped up on the show between 2015 and 2016 and again between 2020 and 2021.
Since quitting TOWIE, Frankie has settled down with her partner Luke Love and they welcomed twins in 2022.
How is Joey Essex related to Chloe Sims?
Many of Joey's family members appeared alongside him on TOWIE and have gone on to find fame of their own. He's cousins with Chloe Sims, Demi Sims, Frankie Sims and their brother Charlie Sims.
Chloe is particularly close with Joey as they appeared on TOWIE together. Earlier this year, Joey joined Chloe in LA and she opened up about their relationship on Instagram.
Chloe wrote, "Side by side or miles apart, we are always connected by our hearts.. @joeyessex what an adventure we have been on, excited to make more memories on this new journey!!"
Who is Joey Essex's grandmother?
TOWIE viewers will also know Joey's grandmother, who's known as Nanny Linda, as she appeared on the show in recent years alongside her other grandchildren Chloe, Demi and Frankie.
Nanny Linda also recently appeared on Lorraine to discuss Joey's time on Love Island. Speaking about Samantha Kenny, who got dumped when Joey recoupled with Grace Jackson, Linda said, "I did feel for her because you could tell that she really liked him."
Where does Joey Essex live?
Last year, Joey announced he had moved to Dubai and - as if that wasn't random enough - Joey has also met with the Dubai government. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation.
He posted a photo on his Instagram account with the below caption and received support from his former Essex pals.
Joey wrote, "At the worlds most luxurious hotel Burj Al Arab I met up with the Dubai Government. They told me Dubai is now my home.
"Thank you to Mahmoud Al Burai & Shahab Ahmed Alsaadi for everything you have put in place for me and Dubai police / Dubai tourism board / Dubai media for getting in touch and taking time to meet me and giving me the warmest welcome to their beautiful country. Happiness is the way forward. Inshallah 🙏✨."
Joey's life-changing move came after his Essex mansion was broken into in 2022. It was reported that one of the reasons Joey moved to Dubai is because "he loves the lifestyle out there and feels completely safe".
Does Joey Essex have Instagram?
He sure does. You can follow him at @joeyessex.