Love Island’s Liam Llewellyn has finally broken his silence on his shock exit from the show.
The 23-year-old, who was in this year’s original cast, decided to leave the villa after just six days, as he told his fellow Islander’s he wasn’t being himself.
In his first interview since quitting the show, Liam told MailOnline: “I thought I was going to have the summer that everyone dreams of but now I’m living with no regrets, I took a chance but I realised I can’t live on TV.”
“I was expected to do things for a TV show and I couldn’t be myself. I didn’t want to do it. It is a TV show and it is produced. It’s not all natural.”
“In my head I was not in the right position to take part in a TV show because that’s what you’re doing. You have to go on dates, do challenges, and you’re not in control of any of it.”
“On my dates they asked me to repeat things because it didn’t quite come through,” he explained.
“I had loads of meetings with the execs, the series editor, and professional physiologists but after a couple of days of feeling the way I did, I made the decision on my own behalf that it wasn’t right for me to carry on.”
Liam confessed he was “very emotional” behind the scenes, and said: “It was a big decision to make, and you don’t make those kinds of decisions without having that mental battle with yourself.”
“I was confused and gutted about the way I was feeling. My body was there but my head was miles away. I couldn’t narrow it down to one word, but I was so overwhelmed.”
“I have never felt like it before and I don’t think I ever will ever because being on Love Island is the biggest of all stages.”
“When you have that gut feeling and believe you’re not your normal self, you can’t be afraid to make that choice, even if it’s scary at first.”
Liam was originally coupled up with Gemma Owen on the show, who is currently partnered with Luca Bish.
In recent weeks, Luca has come under fire over his behaviour on the show, as fans have accused him of “bullying” Tasha, and trying to “control” Gemma.
However, Liam has insisted Luca is nothing like how he’s being portrayed on Love Island.
“I know Luca and what he’s really like and it’s nothing like as he’s coming across,” he said.
“It is hard for me to sit here and watch that while the viewers are forming opinions whereas if you spent 10 minutes with him that would change.”
“Any opinion people have about the show I’m thinking you have no idea, I think if only you knew. You’re seeing such a small segment they really don’t know what’s going on.”
“It’s a TV show, they have to make drama and turn something that’s small into something big and the viewers get lost in all of that.”
Liam also expressed his sympathy for Jacques O’Neill, who quit the show earlier this month after he admitted he was struggling with his emotions.
The 23-year-old said: “I reached out to Jacques as soon as he made that decision. I found it a really tough watch and it took me back, feeling the way I did.”
“I know we both had completely different experiences, but I reached out to him, and he said he appreciated my message and we’re going to meet up and have a chat.”
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on Virgin Media Two.
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