Love Island 2020 contestant Ollie Williams has released a statement following his exit from the villa.
Ollie left Love Island on Tuesday after just three days on this year’s winter series.
Explaining his decision, Ollie told his fellow Islanders that he was still in love with his ex-girlfriend on the outside world.
He said: “This is the love of my life I think. When you’ve got that, you can’t risk throwing that away because you’d never forgive yourself for as long as you live.”
Ollie’s appearance on the show had caused controversy even before launch night after tabloids revealed pictures allegedly showing him posing with dead animals killed in Africa.
A petition launched by angry fans of Love Island demanded that Ollie was removed from the show and received more than 40,000 signatures before his exit.
Today Ollie issued a response to the photographs and denied they were why he left the show.
He said (via the Daily Mail): “Having left the Love Island house I have become aware of the press stories circulating in the UK. I would like to make a number of comments on the various claims and accusations.
“I had no knowledge of the stories until I had left the Love Island villa and all cast members are unaware of any news stories while they are on the programme. My reasons for leaving Love Island are as communicated on the show.
“I did not shoot any of the animals shown in the photographs nor have I ever shot as a trophy hunter.
“I did volunteer to take part in the conservation and anti-poaching programme in Mozambique, a part of which involves old or sick animals being culled. I was there as an observer.
“The Cornish Sporting Agency was set up in 2017 and has never traded. I feel very passionately about conservation and will continue to support sustainable conservation causes around the globe.
“These benefit the natural world and the animals which live within it, even if certain elements appear controversial when viewed out of context. As I am no longer in Love Island, I will comment no further on this issue.”
Love Island continues nightly on ITV2 at 9PM.
Following Ollie’s exit, two brand new boys joined the villa in last night’s episode.
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