Jake Cornish has broken his silence after leaving the Love Island villa.
Jake left the villa in Friday night’s episode alongside Liberty Poole following an emotional split between the pair.
“We’ve both come to the conclusion its best for us to go our separate ways and we’re going to leave the villa together,” they told the other Islanders. “It’s meant to be a happy time and we don’t want to drain the life out of your guys relationships so we’re going to pack and go.”
Following his departure, Jake has spoken to the Daily Mirror newspaper where he responded to accusations of game playing from viewers.
He told the tabloid: “I’ve just got to be true to myself – if I was trying to have a game plan, I think I’d still be there, I wouldn’t have left.
“Actions speak for themselves. I’ve stepped aside from the people who have got something good going, let them enjoy their moment.”
Explaining their decision to quit, he added that it wouldn’t be “fair” for the pair to continue on the show.
Jake explained: “I don’t want another couple to get voted out and me and Lib are still in there.
“I’d feel awful that they’ve gone when they are a couple and a real couple who are together, and me and Lib aren’t anything no more. It wouldn’t be fair.”
And Jake – who says he’d have split the £50,000 prize if the couple had won – isn’t ruling out the pair rekindling their romance.
“Will it go strong again on the outside? Who knows? Definitely we’ll keep in contact,” he said.
Speaking yesterday, Liberty said she and Jake didn’t leave on “bad terms” and described him as a “genuine guy”.
“I wasn’t happy and I’m pretty sure Jake wasn’t happy either. It was the right decision for the both of us to make the strong move to end it and walk out,” she explained. “I didn’t say anything to producers before I said it on the show, I felt I was just in that moment.
“I had my final date with Jake and then we sat around the fire pit and we told the other islanders what was going to happen. Then I packed my suitcases and left.”
Love Island 2021 continues nightly on ITV2 with the grand final on Monday night.
More on: Jake CornishLiberty PooleLove Island