Love Island has denied Joe Garratt is in a “safehouse” following his departure from the villa.
The 22-year-old sandwich delivery man was dumped from the ITV2 dating show after almost 800 Ofcom complaints about his “controlling” behaviour towards partner Lucie Donlan, and it was said the team is now helping him in case there is any backlash outside the villa.
A source told The Sun: “Joe has been in the safehouse since leaving the villa.
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“There has been a backlash against him and as part of ITV’s new duty of care, they’re doing everything they can to help him deal with it when he comes out.”
It was said that show bosses – who also cancelled the usual interviews contestants have after leaving the show – have briefed him on the criticism.
However, a rep for Love Island told Ent Daily that Joe was not put into a safehouse and “was in the same accommodation all dumped islanders stay in”.
On Tuesday’s (18.06.19) episode of the ITV2 reality show, Joe was sent home after two pairs – Joe and Lucie and Elma Pazar and Anton Danyluk – were voted by their fellow islanders as the least compatible couples.
The public were then tasked with voting for one person from each couple to dump from the villa, leaving Lucie and Anton devastated as Joe and Elma were told by host Caroline Flack that they would be going home.
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Lucie, 21, was left in tears by the decision, and said she was “gutted” to now be in the villa by herself.
She said: “Just gutted. Because you could clearly see me and Joe and feelings for each other.”
And despite the complaints against him, Joe can see a future with the surfer beauty.
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He said: “I’ve definitely fallen for [Lucie]. I do hope there is a future for us. Me and Lucie definitely had a lot more to give but it is what it is. You have to take it.”
Joe’s dumping comes after he branded Lucie’s close friendships with the other males in the villa as “strange”, prompting hundreds of complaints.
Speaking about her friendship with Tommy Fury, Joe said to her: “I’m not happy with it. It’s strange. I think it’s time for you to get close with the girls.”
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