Jacques O’Neill reportedly decided to snub the Love Island reunion to avoid his former flame Paige Thorne.
The one-off special was pre-filmed on Thursday night, and is set to air this Sunday, August 7.
Despite all of the series 8 contestants reuniting in a dram-filled special, the former rugby star was notably missing from the line-up after sensationally quitting the show half-way through.
A source told The Sun: “Everybody is getting together for a huge party tonight in London. ITV has put everyone up in a hotel so there’s no need for anyone to miss out.”
“Unfortunately, Jacques has decided he’s just not ready to see Paige quite yet… and especially not with [her new beau] Adam [Collard].”
“He’s made the decision to wait for a more suitable moment to talk to her again after everything he’s been through.”
Jacques left the villa shortly after he reunited with Paige following Casa Amor.
Their reunion didn’t go entirely to plan, as the paramedic’s head began to turn towards new bombshell Adam Collard.
The rugby star decided to leave the show after admitting he was struggling in the villa, and told Paige he would wait for her on the outside.
However, Paige and Adam’s romance continued to blossom after Jacques’ shock exit, and the pair made it through to the semi-final of the show.
Paige addressed Jacques’ shock exit on the Love Island Aftersun finale, telling host Laura Whitmore: “Honestly, I had a feeling that he was going to leave.”
“It was really hard hearing him say it out loud, but I knew there was nothing I could say to make him want to change his mind. I knew that wouldn’t be right. I fully supported his decision, absolutely I could never have sat there and asked him to stay.”
“It did cross my mind a little bit to leave with him, but things hadn’t been 100% all the way through, and the fact that they weren’t was what made me think.”
“The fact that I stayed and I gave 100% to the experience and found something new and something more suited towards me just goes to show that everything happens for a reason,” she added.
Bombshell Antigoni Buxton also recently revealed that Jacques and Paige have yet to meet up.
The Love Island reunion episode will air at 9pm on August 7 on Virgin Media Two.Â
