Jacques O'Neill has joined Love Island and will come face-to-face with ex-girlfriend Gemma Owen / Picture Credit: ITV
Jacques O'Neill has joined Love Island and will come face-to-face with ex-girlfriend Gemma Owen / Picture Credit: ITV

The drama was heating up on Love Island earlier this week and, it shows no signs of slowing down, as Islander Gemma Owen comes face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend Jacques O'Neill.

Released from Castleford Tigers rugby squad so he can go on the show, Jacques is taking a big risk.

The 23-year-old professional rugby league player from Cumbria says he is ready to find a girl "and to settle down", as he's "done all my bits." But does he still hold a flame for Gemma, or is he completely over their past relationship and ready to find someone else to try and make a life with?

Asked what makes him a good boyfriend, he says: "We all think we're a catch, don't we? I'm loyal, I'm respectful and I've got good manners. I'll look after someone close to me to the full extent I can. I would have a baby in two or three years. I think I'd be good with babies too, they'd be good looking, wouldn't they?"

Admitting that his "chat is awful on text", he prefers to meet people in person to see if he will "vibe with them straight away." What better place to put that to the test, than the Love Island villa?

Whilst he says he'll be bringing "the laughs" to the dating series, he doesn't care about stepping on toes, saying he's "not arsed at all". As for what gives him the ick? "People singing Christmas songs! I was seeing this girl and it was just before Christmas and she started singing Christmas songs in the car and it went through me - it gave me the ick bad."

Fortunately, as we’re hitting summer, we think he should be safe from the festive tunes! Perhaps ITV should send Cliff Richard in to sing a bit of Mistletoe and Wine for a laugh?

Love Island continues tonight (June 12th, 2022) at 9pm on ITV2 and the ITV Hub.

LOVE ISLAND 2022: Tensions rise between Davide and Luca, as Liam decides to leave the show


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