A former Love Island contestant has revealed behind-the-scenes tensions, claiming that Samantha was left “furious” after feeling the producers orchestrated her storyline with Joey Essex.
Samantha’s time in the villa came to an abrupt end after the latest recoupling ceremony, which saw Joey reconnect with his ex, leading to Samantha’s elimination. Emotions had already been running high, with Samantha brought to tears by Joey and Grace’s steamy kiss, and she had even hinted at walking out of the show.
Her co-star Munveer Jabbal, who was recently dumped from the series, opened up during an interview on FUBAR Radio. He said he had just spoken to Samantha and described her as “absolutely livid.”
“She’s understandably upset,” Munveer explained. “From what I saw in the villa, her feelings for Joey were real. But there was never any real affection or connection from him. No closeness, no chemistry.”
Things escalated when Grace entered the villa and immediately shared a kiss with Joey in front of Samantha. According to Munveer, this left her feeling humiliated and blindsided.
He also suggested that Samantha believed the situation may have been influenced by the show’s producers.
“She felt kind of ‘set up,’” Munveer said. “She told me that her choices were limited, and it felt like things were being directed. Not saying it was all planned, but the way timing and interactions work behind the scenes can affect how things unfold.”
He even echoed fans’ suspicions that Joey and Grace’s supposed split before the show may have been more for drama than reality. “There’s probably something there,” he said. “They seemed very familiar. Maybe they had history that wasn’t fully disclosed.”
Munveer expressed his sympathy for Samantha, calling her a “genuine and classy girl” who got caught in a messy situation. “It was heartbreaking to watch. She truly cared for Joey and ended up feeling like she was just a filler.”
Following her exit, Samantha reportedly received a supportive message from Joey’s own sister, offering some comfort after her emotional departure.
