James Argent thinks it is "hilarious" that Joey Essex has gone on 'Love Island'.

James Argent had no idea Joey Essex was about to enter Love Island

James Argent had no idea Joey Essex was about to enter Love Island

The 36-year-old reality star thought his fellow 'TOWIE' castmate and best friend, 33, would have exhausted himself with appearances on shows like 'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!', 'Celebs Go Dating', and 'Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins' over the years but had no idea he was about to enter the Mallorca villa on the ITV2 dating show as a bombshell arrival.

Speaking on ITV's 'Good Morning Britain', he said: "I'm really, really...I find it all hilarious. Just when you think there's no many reality shows left for Joey Essex and he goes to 'Love Island'.

"He's committed to this show, and you've gotta go for it, ain't ya?

"I was speaking to Joey right before he went in and I could tell he wasn't really himself. He'd taken a bit of a step away from himself and I think he was maybe focusing on getting himself in shape and getting organised.

"But it wasn't until the second he came out as the bombshell that literally I was like...I didn't know...and then I got a message from him via his manager that said 'Arg, I'm so sorry if I haven't been myself, blah, blah, blah.' Yep. Understood!"

James also insisted that his friend has entered the villa in search for love and doesn't see an issue with it given he he has already taken part in a spate of other reality dating shows.

He said: "Well, why not? He's done a lot of other reality dating shows so he might as well give it a go on this one. He is looking for love, that's the truth. The truth of the matter is, he is looking for love."

Joey – who entered the programme at the end of Monday (03.06.24) night’s episode – told The Sun about how series bosses launched a “military operation” to keep his arrival in the series secret: “I feel like Joey Bond, ‘the names Essex, Joey Essex. It felt like a military operation, not even the journey itself but the process of even getting through the application process and to this point.

“I got on the plane to Ibiza, I made sure I still wore my mask when I went out for dinner, and then we got the boat over to Majorca to a villa hidden in the mountains in the middle of nowhere.

“I’m extremely single right now, so I’m praying that I’m going to walk out of the villa hand in hand with the love of my life, that’s my main aim and all I care about.

“It’s difficult for me to meet girls on the outside as they judge me based on a persona so I think this experience will allow for people to see the real me.”

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