Inside Love Island Jessy’s surprise welcome home party – but Joey Essex is nowhere in sight
LOVE Island’s Jessy Potts beamed as she was reunited with her family at a surprise welcome home party – but Joey Essex was nowhere to be seen.
The TV star narrowly missed the final after she and the former TOWIE legend were booted out of the villa in a brutal dumping.
Jessy, 25, was overcome with emotion as she stepped out into a quant pub garden in her hometown.
She said it was “the best surprise” as she was met by her friends and family, who rushed to throw their arms around her.
One friend said that she was “so effing proud” of bombshell Jessy, who became a staple in the programme.
Despite announcing that they are exclusively dating and planning a trip to the Maldives – Jessy’s boyfriend was nowhere to be seen.
Jessy looked stunning in a red cut-out dress with a white and pink pattern.
She accessorised with a pair of sunglasses on her head and showed off her natural beauty.
To mark the occasion, her family had also made cupcakes with photos of her best moments on the show sticking out of the icing.
Joey featured in many of the snaps, but failed to make an appearance.
Earlier this week the 33-year-old told This Morning that Jessy had already had a sleepover at his house in Essex.
Joey Essex's famous exes
Sam Faiers – Joey dated Towie co-star Sam Faiers from 2011.
The pair were one of the original Essex duos, and were together on and off for three years before ending the relationship for good in September, 2014.
Amy Willerton – Joey was rumoured to be dating his I’m A Celeb co-star Amy Willerton in 2013, when they both appeared on the show together.
The romance soon fizzled out afterwards and Willerton, who won the title of Miss Universe Great Britain said she found it difficult.
Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday newspaper, she said: “The attention after we left the show was really hard for me. While Joey had a strong management team behind him, I didn’t really have anybody in my corner.”
Stephanie Pratt – Made In Chelsea star and US born socialite, Stephanie Pratt, dated Joey for three months.
They fell for each other while appearing in Celebs Go Dating and shared a steamy kiss in Joey’s swimming pool.
But he dumped her in October 2016 for making him “spend too much time in Chelsea”.
Lorena Medina – Joey met model Lorena Medina on MTV reality show Ex On The Beach in 2019.
Their relationship seemed to be going well after Joey showed her around his hometown of Chigwell in Essex. But the pair split in February 2020.
Lorena had moved into his home in Chigwell, Essex, in September 2019, but they had a furious bust-up after he was snapped entering singer Rita Ora’s home in the early hours of the morning.
Rita Ora – Joey’s ex Lorena revealed to The Sun that she dumped Joey after he spent a wild night out with Rita Ora early in 2020.
He was holed up for 13 hours in Rita’s mansion after the pair had tried to avoid being seen together by taking separate cars between venues.
However, the pair have denied that there was anything romantic between them.
Joey said: “We have known each other for years. She’s a nice girl but we’re just friends.”
Vanessa Bauer – Joey was rumoured to have had a brief romance with Dancing on Ice pro skater Vanessa Bauer during his stint on the hit ITV show in 2023.
Rumours of the pair’s relationship circled for months in the lead up to the show airing, with Vanessa exclusively denying the whispers to the Sun in November 2022.
The pair came runners-up during the final in March – and while it seemed like they were close on the show, it appeared to have fizzled out shortly after.
By May 2023, Joey confirmed he was single and said he could not see a future for them after the final.
“She’s already been to my house, left at 9am!” he laughed.
And he told The Sun in an exclusive interview: “We’re really happy. I can’t wait for us to just meet my friends, my family.
“Times ahead are looking really exciting.”
Jessy also posed for a photo with Joey on Instagram and revealed that they’d finally dated at Sheesh – a celebrity hot spot that Joey had promised to take her.
This comes after Joey accused Love Island producers of using him and his vast reality TV experience.
He admitted that he played up to the cameras and “did what he needed to do”.
He told The Sun: “We’re all there to find love but there needs to be a journey, there needs to be drama – so, you know, I had to be that guy.
“I’d switch it on. I’d do my scene. If I was involved in someone else’s stuff it’s because I’ve been pulled in and dragged into that situation.
“I’ve just done what I’ve done because I’m filming a television show.”
Questioned about if was the producers’ man on the ground, Joey told us: “I was put in a situation where I had to do what I had to do. Do you know what I mean? I’m there for a reason. I’m in Love Island to entertain.
“I didn’t really have much time off… I was very, very busy, active.
“I mean, do your readers actually think that I would go up to a girl in a challenge and kiss her in front of her boyfriend, whilst the girl that I actually have feelings for is stood next to her?”