There’s serious drama unfolding online between the cast of Love Island 2021.
On Wednesday, 2021 islanders Tyler Cruickshank, Brad McClelland, Jake Cornish, and Aaron Francis discussed their season’s bombshells as part of an Instagram Live.
During their chat, Brad pulled a face and scoffed when Rachel Finni’s name was mentioned, as she was one of the first bombshells of the season.
@loveislanduk00 😳. Hope Rachel is ok ❤️ #loveisland #loveislanduk #foryou #fyp #rachelfinni ♬ original sound – loveislandbestbits
The other three boys went into hysterics, unable to control their fits of laughter for a few moments.
The conversation shifted onwards, but Brad brought it back to Rachel, saying: “Again, Rachel, NOT a bombshell.”
Twitter users were up in arms about the four boys “humiliating” the 30-year-old, with one user writing: “Someone needs to stand up for rachel finni bc the way her season 7 love island castmates have treated her is actually so disrespectful.”
Rachel then caught wind of the comments, as they made the rounds on social media.
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Rachel addressed the issue in an Instagram Story, writing: “I don’t want an apology. It won’t be authentic. TRUE feelings have already been put out there.”
“You can’t apologise when you don’t mean it. You can’t apologise when you do not care about or respect a person.”
“They all protected themselves by turning off comments before reaching out to apologise. That says it all,” she continued.
“There’s interviews, videos, TikTok’s, quotes and so much MORE from these islanders showing disrespect towards me WAY before this,” she said, claiming that this wasn’t “the first occurrence”.
Tyler, who was coupled up with Kaz Kamwi on the 2021 series, has since posted an apology on his Instagram Story.
He wrote: “I’m sad and disappointed to understand that my reaction to the comments made during an Instagram live with 3 fellow islanders have upset and offended another individual.”
“I appreciate how this has been received and affected others. I have made an attempt to speak with Rachel directly, and will be available to talk to her when she’s ready.”
“It has also come to my attention that Rachel has been subject to hurtful comments across various platforms on a number of occasions – I have not been a party to this, and would not condone nor support behaviour of this nature.”
Brad, who had a brief romance with Rachel on the show, also issued an apology via his Instagram Story, which read: “I want to apologise to Rachel and any others for any feelings that were hurt during our Instagram live the other night. I have re-watched the video back and can see how this was perceived.”
“This upon reflection was not the way to behave, and was 100% not my intention to hurt or upset her and those who know me, know I am not that type of person.”
“I have since reached out to Rachel personally and apologised for any hurt that I may have caused. From the bottom of my heart, I really am sorry,” his statement concluded.
There have been no public statements made by either Jake or Aaron as of yet.
Rachel has since taken to her Instagram Story once again to slam Brad and Tyler’s “false PR statement” apologies.
“You can apologise, but it can’t be received. I’m not receiving any of these apologies. I’m not taking any of these false PR statements saving your back,” she said.
“You are all disgusting, the evidence is out there that you are all disgusting. People trying to return from their involvement in it, anything, just know that we never had any relationship anyway, we never had any friendship anyway.”
“I have no involvement, no forgiveness, no nothing to any of these people because it’s happened multiple times before and they’ll f*****g do it again, simple as,” she continued.
“Do what you can, put out your PR statements, protect your back but the only real thing to come out of your mouths was the hate and the discrimination.”
Rachel appeared on the 2021 series of Love Island alongside Brad and Jake.
The bombshell entered the villa on day 5, and had to choose whether to couple up with Brad or Chuggs – starting a brief romance with Brad. She was then dumped from the villa on Day 14.
